Pedophile singer Ian Watkins was 'dead man walking' in prison and 'abused every day'
Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins was pronounced dead on Saturday morning after being assaulted at HMP Wakefield, where he was serving a 29-year sentence for child sex offences
Lostprophets pedophile Ian Watkins was always a "dead man walking" at HMP Wakefield, according to a former inmate.
Fellow prisoners at the Category A men's prison were aware that Watkins, 48, had been incarcerated for child sex offenses, including the attempted rape of an infant, and allegedly targeted him. Reports suggest that the disgraced singer had previously been attacked following his sentencing to 29 years in December 2013.
On Saturday morning, Watkins was declared dead after being assaulted at the West Yorkshire prison. Two men - Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, both inmates at HMP Wakefield - have been charged with Watkins' murder. The news comes as American pedophile finally jailed in UK more than 50 years after abusing boy.
A former inmate stated: "Watkins was effectively a dead man walking from the moment he arrived in Wakefield. There is an unwritten rule that you don't ask people what crime they did, but everyone knew that Watkins attempted to rape a baby.
"He had been attacked before and was abused every day. He was a loner, self-centered and remorseless. He had no real friends and spent a lot of time on his own in his room."
Gedel and Dodsworth made their first court appearance at Leeds Magistrates' Court yesterday. No pleas were entered and no application for bail was made, reports the Mirror.
They are scheduled to appear at Leeds Crown Court today.
HMP Wakefield is a high-security facility housing over 600 inmates, including hundreds of convicted sex offenders.
A prison officer told the Daily Mail: "There are so many sex offenders in Wakefield, along with some of the most violent people in the country. It's a very dangerous mix.
"With sex offenders, you could have people jailed for date rape all the way through to prolific child abusers, who are beyond any form of rehabilitation, mixing with violent criminals, murderers and gangsters."
The partner of one serving prisoner told the same publication last night: "He said that there was cheering when word spread that Watkins had been killed. All of the prisoners were locked in their cells, but word spread quickly. He was hated because his crimes were so sick."
A source also revealed that staffing levels are typically low at the deteriorating HMP Wakefield, which sits against the bleak backdrop of Victorian-era structures.
Child killers Roy Whiting and Mark Bridger are currently incarcerated at the prison, alongside Jeremy Bamber, who slaughtered five family members at White House Farm in Essex in 1985.
Watkins, born in Merthyr Tydfil, south Wales, was charged with the child sex offenses in December 2012.
His barrister stated the musician had no memory of the case involving the attempted rape, but had "belatedly realized the gravity of what happened" after having developed an "obsession" with recording himself having sex.