Ian Watkins’ ex-girlfriend has said she’s ‘surprised he wasn’t killed sooner’.
The disgraced Lostprophets singer, 48, has died after being stabbed to death in his prison cell.
He was serving a 35-year sentence after being convicted of 13 child sexual offences in 2013, with charges including conspiring to rape an 11-month-old baby and three counts of sexual assault involving children.
His ex-girlfriend, Joanne Mjadzelics, who helped expose the paedophile, has now spoken of her ‘relief’ over his death.
Mjadzelics told the Daily Mail: ‘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.
(Picture: WALES NEWS SERVICE)
‘I have always been scared of him getting out and tracking me down or something, so this is a relief.
‘I wanted him dead for a long time after everything he did. I am relieved, I feel like a weight has been lifted from my head.
‘This is the second time someone has slashed his throat. I expected it to have happened earlier. He’s been in there for almost 13 years.’
Mjadzelics added that the families of Watkins’ victims will be ‘rejoicing’ over the news of his death.
‘He’s gone and they will be just as relieved as I am. Maybe now a new part of my life will begin.
‘The man I fell in love with never existed. He manipulated me and that man who died today in prison was a stranger to me. I never loved him, he just put on a character.’
Watkins was previously taken to hospital after being attacked in 2023. At the time, police said his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
A source told the Mirror he had been taken hostage by three other inmates.
And in 2019 he was jailed for 10 months on top of the sentence he was serving for child sex offences after he was found guilty of possessing a mobile phone in prison.
Watkins claimed two inmates forced him to hold on to the phone so they could contact women who sent him fan mail in order to use them as a ‘revenue stream’.
In his evidence, the defendant refused to name the men, but said: ‘You would not want to mess with them.’
He also said his fellow inmates were murderers, mass murderers, rapists, paedophiles, serial killers – the worst of the worst.’
Two men, aged 25 and 43, were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of his murder.
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.’
Watkins was jailed for 29 years in December 2013 with a further six years on licence, after admitting a string of sex offences – including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.
In 2014 Watkins was told he could not appeal against the length of his jail term.
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