AN ARMED police van reportedly carrying the lag who allegedly killed Lostprophets paedo Ian Watkins has been pictured leaving the prison.
The evil child sex offender, 48, died yesterday morning at HMP Wakefield after he was reportedly slashed in the throat.
A prison van leaves Wakefield prison yesterday evening[/caption]
Former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins has been killed in jail[/caption]
Police forensic officers outside HMP Wakefield[/caption]
Two men, aged 25 and 43, were arrested on suspicion of murder.
A cop van was last night seen leaving the category A prison in West Yorkshire – dubbed Monster Mansion due its notorious inmates.
Armed officers were also spotted outside the facility as the van left – understood to be on its way to a local police station.
The alleged attack had come when prisoners were allowed out of their cells – and despite the efforts of emergency crews, Watkins could not be saved.
The depraved musician was locked up in 2013 for a series of child sex offences, including attempted rape of a fan’s baby daughter.
Watkins’ ex Joanne Mjadzelics, who helped to expose his vile crimes, told the Daily Mail following his death: “This is a big shock, but I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. I was always waiting for this phone call.
“He was walking around with a target on his back from the first day he entered the prison.
“I have always been scared of him getting out and tracking me down or something, so this is a relief.”
Joanne – who now suffers from PTSD – said she’d “wanted him dead for a long time”.
Category A Wakefield – which holds 630 lags – has been dubbed ‘Monster Mansion’ due to the number of high-profile killers, terrorists and sex offenders it holds.
Its inmates included Roy Whiting, who killed Sarah Payne, Jeremy Bamber and paedophile killer Mark Bridger.
It also holds cop-killing Al-Qaeda terrorist Kamel Bourgass, serial rapist Reynhard Sinaga and child killer Mick Philpott.
We told how in August 2023, while serving his sentence, the paedophile rocker was taken to hospital after being stabbed in another prison attack.
On that occasion, he was grabbed by three other lags who attacked him and left him with neck injuries.
A siege at the jail only ended when a “Tornado” team of riot officers hurled stun grenades into the cell to free Watkins.
Deadly prison attack
The ex-Lostprophets frontman was ambushed and had his throat slashed after the cons were unlocked from their cells at around 9.39am yesterday morning.
The disgraced singer – who had narrowly survived previous assaults by inmates – died from blood loss after having his jugular slashed.
Only one of the lags arrested is alleged to have wielded the weapon during the attack, it’s understood.
The van was reportedly heading to a local police station[/caption]
Footage showed the van driving away[/caption]
A source told The Sun: “Watkins has been killed in the most brutal way possible – and the attack was shocking, even by prison standards.
“He was targeted by another inmate who shanked him in the neck.
“Guards were nearby and raced to the scene pretty quickly – but there was nothing they could do, and they could not save him.”
They went on to say: “It was a horrific scene, with blood everywhere and alarms and sirens going off.
“Police and ambulances were called and the whole prison was locked down with all cons confined to their cells.
“He has been attacked a few times inside Wakefield over the last few years, so perhaps this was just a matter of time.
“The bloke who got him this time went for his jugular and it looks like a pre-planned attack.
“Watkins was obviously high-profile and in for the most disgusting crimes.
“So that meant he was walking around with a target on his back, and this has happened.
“Despite who he was, it was really shocking and gruesome.
“Experienced officers and a lot of the other prisoners were in absolute shock after what happened and a lot of them saw the awful scene.
“The inmate who attacked him used a ‘shank’ knife and he was apprehended pretty quickly.
“There was not much doubt about who had done it.”
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “Detectives have launched a murder investigation after the death of a man in HMP Wakefield.
“Officers were called by staff at the prison at 9.39am this morning to reports of a serious assault on a prisoner.
“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 enquiries remain ongoing.”
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident at HMP Wakefield which took place this morning.
“We are unable to comment further while the police investigate.”
Life and crimes of Ian Watkins
IAN Watkins was the super-confident and charismatic frontman of alt-rock band Lostprophets as they rose to fame in the early 2000s.
He had formed the group with guitarist Lee Gaze in Pontypridd, Wales in 1997 and they went on to build up a huge following on the UK’s underground music scene.
A debut album, The Fake Sound of Progress – released in 2000 – brought them commercial success.
Second album Start Something, which came out four years later spawned hits including Last Train Home and Burn Burn.
Further success followed with 2006’s Liberation Transmission and The Betrayed, released in 2010.
Lostprophets sold out venues including the Cardiff international Arena, and Watkins – their energetic lead-singer – had a legion of adoring fans.
But rumours began to swirl of his erratic behaviour, drug use and a sinister dark side.
Still, the rock world was stunned by his 2012 arrest and subsequent conviction – which led detectives to label twisted Watkins the most dangerous sex offender they had encountered.
Watkins, who briefly dated TV and radio star Fearne Cotton in 2005, denied charges against him – but changed his plea to guilty at the start of his 2013 trial.
He confessed to 13 vile offences – including trying to rape a fan’s 11-month-old son and conspiring to rape another’s daughter.
Watkins also admitted possessing indecent photos of children found on computers at his home in Pontypridd, South Wales.
Of 90 abuse images, 24 were level five – the most serious category.
Officers had to turn to experts at government intelligence network GCHQ to crack encryption codes.
Meanwhile Cardiff Crown Court heard how he joked with a female fan 24 hours after his confession – calling his offences “mega lolz” (slang for laughing out loud).
In a recorded call from jail, he said: “I’m going to put a statement out just to say it was mega lolz.
“I don’t know what everyone’s getting so freaked out about.”
The fiend claimed at court that he could not remember the sickening attacks because he was a “heavy user” of crystal meth at the time.
But his own KC, Sally O’Neil admitted: “There is little that can be said in way of mitigation.”
And – handing out one of the longest tariffs ever to a convicted paedophile – Mr Justice Royce said: “These courts see a large number of horrific cases. This case, however, breaks new ground.
“You had many fawning fans. That gave you power.
“You knew you could use that power to induce young female fans to help satisfy your insatiable lust and take part in the sexual abuse of their children.
“Away from the highlights of your performances lay a dark and sinister side.”
Det Chief Insp Peter Doyle said: “He has shown no empathy or remorse.
“That potentially makes him the most dangerous sex offender I’ve ever seen.”
Two co-defendants – fans who were the mothers of victims – were caged for 14 and 17 years each.
In 2014, Watkins was refused the right to appeal against his 35-year sentence.
So until his death yesterday, he languished in bleak Wakefield Prison, West Yorkshire – one of Britain’s toughest jails where many will believe an act of brutal natural justice was meted out.
Watkins was handed a prison sentence for a string of child sex offences[/caption]
