Ian Watkins’ former Lostprophets co-founder has spoken out after the paedophile was killed in prison over the weekend.
Guitarist Lee Gaze, 50, has taken to social media in the wake of the news in response to fans sharing their concern at his wellbeing, as depraved details of Watkins’ crimes – including conspiring to rape an 11-month-old baby – are under the microscope once more.
The disgraced singer was serving a 35-year sentence in Wakefield Prison after being convicted of 13 child sex offences in 2013, including three counts of sexual assault involving children.
Watkins, who died aged 48 from blood loss, is said to have had his throat slashed by a fellow inmate after prisoners were unlocked from their cells in the West Yorkshire prison on Saturday morning.
Gaze, who co-founded Lostprophets in 1997 with Watkins, wrote on X that it was ‘onwards and upwards’ and that ‘music is what keeps us sane’ in reaction to the news of Watkins’ death.
Responding to fans, Gaze thanked followers for their ‘kind words’ in a thread underneath a message he shared in July with fans, which read: ‘It’s been 13 years since my band ended in the most unimaginable circumstances and it’s still painful to think about.
‘Things could’ve been so different.’
Gaze performed as Fleshbind with Watkins for three years before Lostprophets, and grew up in the Pontypridd village Rhydyfelin, in the same area his former bandmate’s house was raided.
After Watkins’ guilty plea in December 2013, Gaze, talking of the band’s horror-stricken reaction, said: ‘There was two sets of it [shock] because there were the accusations – which was one thing.
‘And then there was the actual, “Yeah I did do it” which was a year later. He dragged that out for a year, so we got hit by it twice.’
He added: ‘How could you know? How would you know?
‘Who would disclose such a thing to five people, who between them have eight children? You just wouldn’t because they would be killed on the spot.’
Ahead of the conclusion of his trial, the Welsh rock band, who released five albums in their time, cancelled all their shows and disbanded.
Gaze is now in a band called No Devotion, alongside Geoff Rickly of the band Thursday and Stu Richardson, who was also in Lostprophets.
During Lostprophets’ time Watkins would prey on fans, with two offering up their babies to be abused. His two co-defendents – mothers of his victims – received 14 and 17-year sentences.
Two men aged 25 and 43 have been arrested on suspicion of murdering Watkins and are currently in police custody.
A source told The Sun even by prison standards, Watkins was killed ‘in the most brutal way possible’, and while guards rushed to the scene they ‘could not save him’ and he was ‘airlifted to hospital’.
Watkins was also stabbed repeatedly in 2023 after being taken hostage for six hours by other inmates, leaving him ‘fighting for his life’.
His crimes were discovered after a drugs warrant was issued for his Pontypridd home on September 21, 2012, when a large number of computers, mobile phones, and storage devices were seized, and his depravity unearthed.
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said on Saturday: ‘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 inquiries remain ongoing.’
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