Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse, rape and suicide which some readers may find distressing.
Former Lostprophets frontman and convicted child abuser Ian Watkins was killed inside his prison yesterday (October 10), which only increases its reputation as one of the most dangerous prisons of its kind in Britain.
Watkins was around 12 years into his 29-year sentence at HMP Wakefield when he was reportedly stabbed by two other inmates, with police confirming his death at the scene.
The former musician was convicted and sentenced in 2013 after a string of child sex offences, including the horrific attempted rape of a baby.
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Paedophiles have been targeted throughout history by other inmates, and the 48-year-old had been attacked previously in 2023, when he was left with life-threatening injuries.
And now his death, which has seen two men arrested on suspicion of murder by West Yorkshire Police, has backed up a recent report into the notorious prison, which suggested that violence has increased significantly in recent times.
"Detectives have launched a murder investigation after the death of a man in HMP Wakefield," a spokesperson for the police said in a statement.
"Officers were called by staff at the prison at 9.39am this morning to reports of a serious assault on a prisoner.
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"A man aged 48 was found with serious injuries. Despite medical attention, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
"Two men aged 25 and 43 have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently in police custody.
"Detectives from the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team are investigating and inquiries remain ongoing."
HMP Wakefield, nicknamed 'Monster Mansion', is home to some of the UK's most infamous killers and rapists, with Robert Maudsley - nicknamed the real-life Hannibal the Cannibal - spending most of his life in solitary confinement there before recently being transferred away.
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The category A prison also holds Britain's most prolific rapist, Reynhard Sinaga, an Indonesian man who was convicted of 159 sex offences, including 136 rapes of young men, during his time living as a student in Manchester between 2015 and 2017.
Harold Shipman, the doctor-turned-serial killer who is regarded as one of the most prolific of all time, took his own life in 2004 after just four years imprisoned in HMP Wakefield.
Watkins, who sent a haunting final tweet before his death, was one of the most high-profile names in the prison, which has hard iron beds, bulletproof windows and cardboard chairs for some of its most dangerous prisoners.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.
James Moorhouse