Police share update on Lostprophets’ Ian Watkins’ injuries after prison stabbing

Police have shared an update on Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins’ injuries after he was reportedly stabbed in prison.

The disgraced former singer is currently serving a 29-year sentence, with a further six years on license, in HMP Wakefield on various child sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.

The Mirror reported yesterday (August 6) that Watkins was attacked and taken hostage by three other inmates on Saturday morning (August 5). After he was found and freed by officers, he was taken to hospital.

A Prison Service spokesperson told the outlet: “Police are investigating an incident which took place on Saturday at HMP Wakefield. We are unable to comment further while the police investigate.”

Now, West Yorkshire Police have given an update on Watkins’ condition.

They said in a statement via The Mirror: “West Yorkshire Police were notified by staff at HMP Wakefield of an assault on a prisoner on the afternoon of Saturday, 5 August. He was taken to hospital where his injuries are not understood to be life-threatening. Enquiries are ongoing.”

Watkins was jailed in December 2013 after pleading guilty to 13 sex offences at Cardiff Crown Court, including the aforementioned attempted rape of a baby, conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving taking, making or possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal.

In 2017, Watkins was reported to have been grooming a mother from his prison cell. The 21 year-old’s child was subsequently taken into care after social services were alerted of her contact with the disgraced singer.

‘We’re sickened,” said a spokesman from the NSPCC at the time. “It’s utterly bewildering that he could carry on grooming. It shows contempt for children he abused, and raises serious questions about supervision.”

At the time, it was said that prison officials in Wakefield reportedly found “nothing untoward” in their exchanges via letters and emails. A spokesman from Lincolnshire police meanwhile added: “We will always take action to safeguard vulnerable adults and children.”

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