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On Saturday, August 5, former Lostprophets' lead singer Ian Watkins was injured in a stabbing in HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. According to CNN, Watkins is serving a 29-year sentence for several child abuse-related crimes. Yahoo reported that he is expected to serve an additional six years on license. As per prison authorities, Watkins is currently in a prison hospital.
Authorities stated that as they are in the early stages of the investigation, they cannot disclose the names of the suspects behind Ian Watkins' stabbing. There has been no confirmation of any potential motives in the assault.
Trigger warning: This article concerns child abuse and assault, and the reader's discretion is advised.
Ian Watkins was jailed in 2013 for a string of child abuse offenses
Before his fall from grace, Ian Watkins was best known for his work with the Welsh rock band Lostprophets. In June 2012, Watkins was arrested for drug-related charges. According to BBC, Watkins was accused of trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine from America to the United Kingdom.
In September of the same year, officials raided Watkins' home, only to discover that various electronic devices owned by the singer contained illicit child abuse-related material.
After discovering the devices, authorities began investigating Watkins for various abuse and assault-related allegations. Prosecutors accused Watkins of using his celebrity status to manipulate multiple fans.
The Economic Times reported that in one case, he reportedly conspired to assault a one-year-old child. In another incident, CNN noted that he reportedly coerced a fan to let him abuse her baby. He eventually pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted assault and assault of a child under 13 and three counts of assault involving children.
As reported by The Guardian, South Wales authorities were accused of paying no heed to Ian Watkins' criminal activities. In a report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), officials said that the South Wales Force largely failed to investigate various assault allegations.
An unnamed detective said they did not take them seriously, as they believed Watkins had many fans making false allegations for money or fame.
"The evidence obtained in this investigation suggests that South Wales Police were faced with a litany of reports about his behavior, yet in some instances did not carry out even rudimentary investigation, made errors and omissions, and missed opportunities to bring him to justice earlier than he ultimately was," the IPCC report read.
On August 5, 2023, Watkins was reportedly the victim of a hostage situation in HM Prison Wakefield. Three inmates are accused of forcefully holding Watkins for six hours. During the incident, Watkins suffered severe injuries from stab wounds to his neck. The former singer was released six hours later after the suspects negotiated with the cops.
Heavy Consequence (a website for metal/hard rock news) reported that, according to officials, Watkins is in stable condition. The motive behind the stabbing currently remains unknown.
Officials condemn Watkins for the slew of crimes
In 2014, after Ian Watkins failed to reduce his sentence, Mr. Justice Royce described the uniquely horrifying nature of the suspect's crimes. The Judge claimed that the former star used his influence to manipulate vulnerable fans, allowing him access to their young children.
"Those who have appeared in these courts over many years, see here, a large number of horrific cases. This case breaks new ground. Any decent person... will experience shock, revulsion, and incredulity," Mr Justice Royce said.
Despite the allegations, many Watkins fans continue to support him. While Watkins used his influence to abuse his followers, the IPCC report determined that South Wales authorities did not ignore the allegations against him due to his celebrity status. Rather, the women who accused him were simply dismissed.
