2 More Arrests Made Over Death of Singer Ian Watkins, Who Was Attacked in Prison While Serving Sentence for Child Sex Crimes By Kimberlee Speakman

Two more men have been arrested in connection with the death of former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins, who was attacked and killed in prison while serving a sentence for multiple crimes, including child sex-related crimes.

The men — who were identified as a 23-year-old and a 39-year-old — were “arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder,” according to a news release from West Yorkshire Police.

Authorities said that the two men were arrested at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, where Watkins was being held prior to his death. They said the men were in police custody and would be interviewed before being “bailed and returned to prison” while the investigation continues.

“Extensive [inquiries] remain ongoing in relation to the murder of Ian Watkins, and these arrests form part of that,” said DCI James Entwistle with the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team in a statement. 

“Ian Watkins’ family are being updated as the investigation progresses. However, we do not anticipate any immediate developments at this stage,” he added.

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The arrests come more than a week after Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were charged with murder in connection to Watkins’ death at the HMP Wakefield prison on Saturday, Oct. 11. 

Emergency personnel were called to the prison on Oct. 11, after the Welsh musician was attacked with a knife. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Immediately following the incident, a Prison Service spokesperson told the BBC that they were aware of an incident at the prison but “unable to comment further while the police investigate.”

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This isn’t the first time that the singer has been attacked in prison. He was previously stabbed and taken hostage in August 2023. However, his injuries were non-threatening, according to The Guardian. 

Watkins previously served as the lead singer for Lostprophets, a Welsh rock band that topped the U.K. charts in 2006 after the release of their third album, Liberation Transmission.

He pleaded guilty in 2013 to 13 charges, including conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault of children, seven counts involving making or possessing indecent images of children, and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal. 

Watkins appealed to reduce the length of his sentence, but the U.K. courts rejected this appeal in 2014.