LONDON (AP) — British police have arrested two men on suspicion of murder after former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins, who was serving a 29-year sentence for child sex crimes, was stabbed to death in a northern England prison.
Emergency services were called to HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire on Saturday morning after Mr Watkins, 48, was attacked with a knife. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
West Yorkshire Police said in a statement that a murder investigation was underway following the arrest of two men, aged 25 and 43.
In 2013, Watkins pleaded guilty to 13 charges, including attempted rape of an infant, sexual contact with a one-year-old, encouraging fans to abuse their children, and producing child pornography.
During sentencing, Judge John Royce described Watkins as a manipulative and dangerous sex offender who exploited his fame to satisfy his “insatiable desires”.
“Those who have appeared in these courts over the years have seen many horrific incidents,” Mr Royce said in his sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court. “But this lawsuit breaks new ground.”
Watkins was the lead singer of the Welsh rock band Lostprophets, which reached number one in the UK charts in 2006 with their third album, Liberation Transmission. Following Watkins’ arrest, the band announced that they would be disbanding.
