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Disgraced Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins died after being stabbed in the neck in an reported prison incident, an inquest has learned.

Watkins, 48, died on 11 October after being assaulted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been serving a 29-year jail sentence for child sex crimes including the sexual assault of a infant.

The inquest, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was postponed pending the completion of an associated murder case.

Two men have been charged with murder in connection to Watkins' death while two other men, aged 23 and 39, arrested earlier this week on suspicion of plot to murder were sent back to prison as inquiries continued.

Coroner Findings

Coroner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was identified by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the brief proceeding, had been declared deceased at the West Yorkshire jail by an on-call doctor and was formally recognized by a prison officer.

Mr Longstaff said emergency services were summoned to the jail "after a report he had been attacked in the throat".

The examiner said a post-mortem report gave the cause of death as an wound to the neck.

'Extreme Wickedness'

In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins denied rape but admitted the sexual assault and abuse of a child under 13.

He admitted 13 offences, including plotting to rape a child, three counts of abuse involving children, seven involving creating, making or possessing indecent images of children and one of having an extreme image involving a sex act on an creature.

Prosecutors had described him as a man influenced by fame, drugs, and influence who had perpetrated crimes "exceeding imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had broken "new ground" and "descended into new depths of depravity".

Watkins was also stabbed in prison in 2023. Following that incident, he was taken to hospital with injuries which were not fatal.

Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, appeared in court last week charged with his murder, but were not asked to enter pleas.

Background of Ian Watkins?

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Watkins was once one of Wales' most famous musicians - the lead singer of the rock band Lostprophets.

The band started in Pontypridd in 1997, and sold millions of albums around the world.

They produced five studio albums, one of which achieved number one in the UK.

The group also had some achievement in the US, with their second and third albums attaining the top-40.

They separated immediately after Watkins was found guilty in 2013.

His previous group members spoke openly about their shock and revulsion.

Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Even though I was completely finished with him, I wished it was all a error, he was not guilty, he had to be.

"The first time, we knew the band was finished. You can't return from that."

The other members and American singer Geoff Rickly created a new band, No Devotion, soon after.