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Disgraced Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins passed away after being stabbed in the throat in an alleged prison attack, an inquest has learned.

Watkins, 48, succumbed on 11 October after being targeted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been completing a 29-year prison sentence for child sex offences including the sexual assault of a baby.

The hearing, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was postponed pending the conclusion of an related murder case.

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

Coroner Findings

Coroner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was identified by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the brief hearing, had been pronounced dead at the West Yorkshire jail by an attending doctor and was officially identified by a prison officer.

Mr Longstaff said emergency services were called to the jail "following a report he had been stabbed in the neck".

The examiner said a autopsy report gave the reason of death as an incision to the neck.

'Extreme Wickedness'

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

He pleaded guilty to 13 offences, including conspiring to rape a child, three counts of abuse involving children, seven involving creating, producing or possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an shocking image involving a sex act on an creature.

Prosecutors had portrayed him as a man corrupted by celebrity, drugs, and power who had perpetrated crimes "exceeding imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had broken "new ground" and "plunged into new levels of wickedness".

Watkins was also stabbed in prison in 2023. After that attack, he was taken to medical facility with injuries which were not fatal.

Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, appeared in court last week accused with his murder, but were not required to enter responses.

Background of Ian Watkins?

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Watkins was once one of Wales' most famous artists - the frontman of the rock band Lostprophets.

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

They released five studio albums, one of which reached 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 disbanded promptly after Watkins was convicted in 2013.

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

Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Although I was completely finished with him, I wished it was all a mistake, he was innocent, he had to be.

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

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