The 48-year-old former Lostprophets frontman from Pontypridd was jailed in 2013 after admitting 13 intercourse offences
Convicted paedophile and former singer Ian Watkins has been killed in jail. West Yorkshire Police confirmed they had been referred to as to Wakefield Jail after an assault on a prisoner was reported to them on Saturday morning, October 11.
The power confirmed {that a} man was pronounced lifeless on the scene. Information company PA say sources have confirmed it was former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins. Keep up to date on this breaking information story right here
The 48-year-old former Lostprophets frontman from Pontypridd was jailed in 2013 after admitting 13 intercourse offences, which a choose stated “plumbed new depths of depravity”, together with the tried rape of a child.
This is every thing it is advisable to find out about Ian Watkins – how he rose to fame, the horrific crimes he dedicated and his former band Lostprophets.
Who was Ian Watkins?
Ian Watkins discovered success as frontman of the Welsh rock band Lostprophets till he was unmasked as a paedophile. Lostprophets bought hundreds of thousands of information worldwide and had 4 high 10 UK albums.
Watkins had lengthy protested his innocence from the day of his arrest in 2012 up till the day of his trial a 12 months later the place he lastly admitted what he had finished. He admitted to 13 intercourse offences and was described in courtroom as a “decided and dedicated paedophile”.
Through the trial in 2013, a choose stated “plumbed new depths of depravity”, together with the tried rape of a child.
The listening to was advised he schemed to abuse two infants alongside their very own moms by way of textual content and on-line messages, expressing his intention to “cross the road” and his plan to drug one younger sufferer by respiratory crystal meth smoke into the kid’s face.
The choose was introduced with disturbing particulars of a vile 17-minute recording filmed in a London resort room displaying Watkins performing a sexual act on a baby.
In 2013, the Welsh performer pleaded responsible at Cardiff Crown Courtroom to 13 baby intercourse offences.
He additionally admitted to the rape and sexual assault of a kid who was beneath the age of 13. Watkins additionally admitted conspiring to rape a baby, three counts of sexual assault involving kids, seven involving taking, making or possessing indecent photographs of kids and considered one of possessing an excessive pornographic picture involving a intercourse act on an animal.
Throughout sentencing, Mr Justice Royce declared the case broke ‘new floor’ and ‘plunged into new depths of depravity’. He acknowledged Watkins had wielded a ‘corrupting affect’ and displayed a ‘full lack of regret’.
The choose additional famous that Watkins introduced a big hazard to the general public, significantly to ladies with younger kids.
In whole, Watkins was serving a 29-year jail sentence after admitting to 13 intercourse offences, together with two makes an attempt to rape a child.
He obtained an prolonged sentence which included a 29-year jail time period adopted by an extra six years on licence.
In 2019, Watkins was given an extra 10 months after he was discovered to have a cell phone whereas incarcerated. Initially, he denied having a three-inch GSTAR telephone in his cell.
On the time of his demise, the intercourse offender was serving his lengthy sentence at Wakefield Jail in West Yorkshire, which accommodates a few of Britain’s most infamous, high-risk intercourse offenders and killers.
Who had been the Lostprophets?
The nu-metal band had been based by Ian Watkins and guitarist Lee Gaze after their former band Fleshbind broke up.
Lozt Prophetz shaped in 1997, earlier than altering the spelling of their title three years later.
They had been signed to Sony BMG and launched 5 studio albums and had two high 10 hits within the UK, Final Practice Residence and Rooftops.
Their third album, Liberation Transmission, went to UK primary in 2006.
Their final album, Weapons, got here out in April 2012, eight months earlier than Watkins was arrested.
They broke up in October 2013 after Watkins was charged in December 2012.
Not too long ago, Gaze talked in regards to the band on X, admitting that how issues ended left him devastated. It is considered one of few occasions former band members have ever spoken out in regards to the matter in public.
Gaze wrote: “It’s been 13 years since my band led to probably the most unimaginable circumstances and it’s nonetheless painful to consider. Issues might’ve been so totally different. I do not discuss it a lot, however I put every thing into that band, and it ought to’ve lasted a lifetime. I by no means actually wronged anybody my complete life so it appeared like the final word punishment.”
After he spoke of the previous, and the way the band ended, many individuals reached out to supply phrases of kindness and help. One individual responded: “I want you a giant success along with your new challenge. Thanks for the music and recollections.”
One other added: “I am actually sorry you are still carrying that ache. Every thing ought to have been totally different. However destiny is a merciless joke. You didn’t deserve it. I believe so much about what the band could be like now.” To this, Gaze replied: “Yeh. Onerous to make sense of all of it, even in spite of everything these years.”
Another person additionally provided their ideas, writing: “I at all times say to any band I file if LP comes up in convo, what that man did was unspeakably evil, however I’ve obtained a lot sympathy for everybody else in that (your) band – he ruined many different individuals’s lives and careers immediately, and it’s by no means spoken about.”
Yet another additionally wrote: “Eternally gutted for you guys. LP had been considered one of my formative bands in my teenagers and noticed you guys over 20 occasions.
“In case you all determined to re-record all of your materials with a brand new singer I’d help that! Reclaim one thing that one individual shouldn’t have any proper to ship to oblivion.”
Another person additionally replied: “Echoing what others have stated in regards to the affect you guys had on me throughout uni years. Keep in mind seeing you at Brixton circa 2006 ish, epic. Hope you’ve been capable of finding peace with all of it – should’ve been an extremely heavy burden to hold for therefore lengthy.”
Gaze now kinds part of the band No Devotion, alongside American vocalist Geoff Rickly of the band Thursday and Stu Richardson, who was additionally in Lostprophets. Rhythm guitarist Mike Lewis, drummer Luke Johnson and keys/synth participant Jamie Oliver had been additionally members of the band, however later left. For the most important tales in Wales first, signal as much as our every day publication right here
