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Disgraced Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins died of stab wound to neck, inquest hears | UK News

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Disgraced Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins died from a stab wound to the neck, an inquest has heard.

Watkins, 48, died after an alleged attack at HMP Wakefield, where he was serving a 29-year sentence for child sexual offences.

On Friday, an inquest into Watkins’ death was opened and adjourned at Wakefield Coroner’s Court.

Coroner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was referred to by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the brief hearing, was pronounced dead at the West Yorkshire jail on October 11 by an attending doctor and was formally identified by a prison officer.

Mr Longstaff said paramedics were called to the prison, where Watkins was a serving prisoner, “following a report he had been stabbed in the neck”.

The coroner said a post-mortem report gave the cause of death as an incision to the neck.

He said other prisoners had been charged with murder and the coroner’s investigation would be suspended “pending the outcome of the criminal justice process”.

Inmates Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, have been charged with murdering Watkins.

Earlier this week West Yorkshire Police said two more men from the prison had been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

The men, aged 23 and 39, were bailed and returned to prison while inquiries continue.

Gedel and Dodsworth appeared in court last week charged with murder, but were not asked to enter pleas.

Judge Guy Kearl, the Recorder of Leeds, set a provisional date of 5 May for the trial, which is expected to take two to three weeks.

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