WARNING, DISTURBING CONTENT: Ian Watkins, the former Lostprophets singer who was jailed for a series of child sex offences, was stabbed to death by another inmate in HMP Wakefield on Saturday
The prisoner who killed Ian Watkins is likely to be “awarded bonus points” by fellow inmates after fatally stabbing the disgraced Lostprophets frontman, according to a former prison officer.
Watkins, the convicted paedophile and former rock star, was serving a 29-year sentence for child sex offences when he was attacked with a knife by another inmate at HMP Wakefield on Saturday morning, insiders confirmed. Despite the arrival of emergency services at the West Yorkshire prison, Watkins was declared dead at the scene.
Insiders revealed that the prison was immediately put on lockdown following the incident. Tony Cottenden, a nine-year veteran prison officer, explained that in units with separate landings for paedophiles, there is typically minimal interaction with other offenders.
He noted that those found guilty of child sex offences are “not seen kindly from other standard offenders”.
In cases where the offender is high-profile – as Watkins was – it’s probable that anyone who assaults them will “get a lot of bonus points” and gain respect from other prisoners, added the former prison guard, reports the Mirror.
Mr Cottenden told the Mirror: “Obviously paedophiles are not seen kindly from other standard offenders. When someone’s high profile, it’s very common for there to be… you’ll get a lot of bonus points, shall we say, if you manage to attack someone like that from how you stand as an offender in the prison itself.”
A prisoner might also earn “bonus points” for assaulting an inmate if “a vulnerable prisoner had debt to pay, and that was a potential thing to wipe the debt”.
The ex-guard explained that similar actions could also be undertaken by someone “looking to climb the rankings, but you never really know”. Tony revealed that when paedophiles were housed in a unit with the general prison population, they were typically accompanied by an officer for protection while moving about.
“If they’re alongside a normal population or if they need to go somewhere, they’re usually taken there by an officer and some prisons have separate movement so usually most offenders move around the prison on something known as free flow,” he explained. He noted that “on the way to work, these offenders will move at separate times at certain prisons”.
He suggested that following Watkins’ stabbing, other child sex offenders at HMP Wakefield will probably encounter restricted movement and won’t have “a very pleasant experience” behind bars. The former prison employee stated that for paedophiles, typically “everything is separate”.
Tony explained that child sex offenders are “usually just on the landing full of other vulnerable prisoners, whether that be paedophiles or people that are on active documents,” for instance those under suicide watch, or individuals “that can’t cope with the prison environment.”
Watkins, 48, received a 29-year sentence in December 2013 with an additional six years on licence, following his guilty plea to numerous sex offences – including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.
The fallen star was arrested after police executed a drugs warrant at his Pontypridd residence on September 21, 2012, during which officers seized numerous computers, mobile phones and storage devices. Examination of the equipment revealed Watkins’ sickening conduct.
A Prison Service spokesperson stated: “We are aware of an incident at HMP Wakefield which took place this morning. We are unable to comment further while the police investigate.”
A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson confirmed: “At 9.39am this morning, police were called by staff at HMP Wakefield reporting an assault on a prisoner. Emergency services attended and the man was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.
“Detectives from the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team are investigating and inquiries remain ongoing at the scene.”
Watkins had previously been hospitalised following an attack in 2023. Police confirmed at the time that his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
A source revealed to the Mirror that he had been held captive by three fellow inmates. In 2019, he received an additional 10-month sentence on top of his existing term for child sex offences after being convicted of possessing a mobile phone behind bars.
Watkins maintained that two fellow prisoners coerced him into keeping the device so they could communicate with women who had written him fan letters, intending to exploit them as a “revenue stream”.
During his testimony, the defendant declined to identify the men, stating: “You would not want to mess with them.”
He also described his fellow inmates as “murderers, mass murderers, rapists, paedophiles, serial killers – the worst of the worst.”
Judge Rodney Jameson KC rejected Watkins’ claim that he possessed the phone, which remained in his custody for five days, due to threats.
Throughout the five-day hearing at Leeds Crown Court, jurors were told Watkins underwent a strip-search at the facility in March 2018 before producing a small mobile device from his body, having grown worried he wouldn’t be able to see his mother who was travelling from Wales to visit. In 2014, Watkins was informed he could not challenge the duration of his 29-year prison sentence.
The legal team for the paedophile argued that his last-minute guilty plea, which saved a jury from viewing his self-made child pornography, should result in a reduced prison sentence. However, the Court of Appeal, convening in Cardiff, rejected his request for an appeal.
Presiding judge Lord Justice Pitchford stated: “These were offences against infant children of such shocking depravity that a very lengthy sentence of imprisonment was demanded.
“It is not demonstrated the total sentence of 29 years together with the extended licence period was arguably manifestly excessive. Accordingly, the application in his case is refused.”
Among the horrifying videos set to be presented at his trial included his attempted rape of a baby and a webcam chat where he directed a deranged fan to abuse her child.
Watkins received consecutive prison terms of 14 and 15 years for engaging in sexual activity with a child and the attempted rape of an 11-month-old baby. He was also found guilty of 11 other offences – with those sentences running concurrently with his 29-year term.
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