The newspaper reports he was taken hostage by three other inmates on Saturday morning (August 5) and was freed by prison officers six hours later. A source told The Sun:

"Watkins was attacked today by three pretty heavy-duty cons. They got hold of him on B-wing and dragged him into a cell where they roughed him up and barricaded themselves in. He was screaming and was obviously terrified and in fear of his life. They put the whole wing on lockdown and then sent in riot teams. Other prisoners heard three loud flash bangs which was when the officers got into the cell and threw grenades to stun the attackers and take them by surprise. It seems like the prison officers might have saved his life.

 

"Watkins is obviously unpopular because of who he is — and has been walking around with a huge target on his back.

 

"They got him on a Saturday, which is generally quieter with less staff on and it seems to have been planned. "People heard that he was in a bad way when he came out but will probably survive.

 

"He was taken to Leeds and was still in hospital."

 

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "Police are investigating an incident which took place on Saturday at HMP Wakefield. We are unable to comment further while the police investigate."

 

In 2013, Watkins was convicted of 13 child sex offenses. These crimes only came to light following a drug investigation.

 

After Watkins was arrested in 2012 for drug charges, which included possession of methamphetamines and cocaine, police searched his property and computer, where they found "overwhelming evidence that he was a pedophile," according to the Guardian. At least 90 photos were found in his possession displaying indecent photos of children ages ranging from 2 to 14 years old.

 

Six people came forward to make allegations against Watkins before he was finally arrested and jailed for 35 years, the report from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) found.

 

Watkins admitted the attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13 but pleaded not guilty to rape. He also admitted conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving taking, making or possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal.

 

Watkins's disgusted LOSTPROPHETS bandmates called it quits in 2013, just before the frontman pleaded guilty to his crimes. They subsequently formed a new group, named NO DEVOTION.