Ian Watkins

Some Lesser Known Facts About Ian Watkins

• Ian Watkins’ biological father died when he was a child. He was then raised by his mother Elaine, a former teacher, and his stepfather John Davies, a Baptist minister.

• He grew up in Pontypridd and studied at Hawthorn High School with future Lostprophets bandmate Mike Lewis.

• In 1991, he and Mike Lewis formed a thrash metal band called Aftermath, which lasted for about two years.

• After Aftermath ended, Watkins and Lee Gaze created a new hardcore punk band named Fleshbind. When Fleshbind’s singer left, Watkins and Gaze started another band, “Lozt Prophetz,” which later became Lostprophets.

  

• At the same time, Watkins played drums for a hardcore band called Public Disturbance from 1995. In 1997, Lostprophets performed their first live show, with Watkins as the lead vocalist.

• By 1998, Watkins left Public Disturbance to focus completely on Lostprophets. Lostprophets released five studio albums between 2000 and 2012 and toured across Europe and the United States.

• The band gained fame with albums such as Start Something (2004) and Liberation Transmission (2006). In 2007, Watkins performed at major festivals like Reading and Leeds.

• By 2011, Watkins had become distant from his bandmates, staying mostly in Wales while others lived in Los Angeles. Tensions increased within the band as Watkins’ drug use grew and affected his performance.

• In 2008, reports about Watkins’ sexual abuse and child exploitation were made to South Wales Police, but no strong action followed.

• Between 2008 and 2011, several people, including his ex-girlfriend Joanne Mjadzelics, reported him for possession of illegal material and child abuse.

• In June 2012, Watkins was arrested for drug-related offences and later released on bail. He was arrested again in November 2012 for drug possession and for possessing obscene images of children.

• On 14 November 2012, he performed his final show with Lostprophets in Newport, Wales. He was arrested for a third time on 17 December 2012 for more drug offences.

• A police search of his home uncovered numerous indecent images of children. On 19 December 2012, Watkins was officially charged with conspiracy to commit sexual activity with a one-year-old child and possessing child pornography.

• On 26 November 2013, he pleaded guilty to attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13, along with multiple counts of possessing and distributing child abuse material.

  

• In July 2014, his appeal to reduce the sentence was rejected by the Court of Appeal. In 2016 and 2017, investigation reports found that South Wales Police failed to act properly on early complaints against him.

• Watkins was initially held at HM Prison Parc and later transferred to HM Prison Wakefield. In January 2014, he was moved to HM Prison Long Lartin to be closer to his mother after her kidney transplant.

• In 2017, Watkins was accused of grooming a woman from prison through letters. In March 2018, he was found with a mobile phone in his cell and later received an extra ten-month prison sentence.

• On 5 August 2023, he was taken hostage and stabbed by three inmates at HM Prison Wakefield. He survived the attack with non-life-threatening injuries.

• On 11 October 2025, Ian Watkins was stabbed again inside HM Prison Wakefield and died at the age of 48. He was declared dead at the scene. West Yorkshire Police charged two inmates, aged 25 and 43, with his murder.

• A report released in September 2025 noted that violence inside Wakefield Prison had increased significantly before his death.