Ian Watkins had 'target on his back' in prison, says ex Joanne Mjadzelics after 'stabbing'

The former girlfriend of convicted paedophile Ian Watkins has said she is "not surprised" the singer has been attacked in jail following reports he has been stabbed.

The former LostProphets frontman is said to have been taken to hospital after being stabbed at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said they were notified by staff at HMP Wakefield of an assault on a prisoner on Saturday, 5 August.

It added he was taken to hospital where his injuries are not understood to be life-threatening and enquiries are ongoing.

The disgraced singer was arrested following the execution of a drugs warrant at his Pontypridd home on 21 September 2012.

He 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 baby.

The singer's former girlfriend Joanne Mjadzelics - who first went to the police to raise concerns about Watkins' warped sexual behaviour around children - said he "probably had a target on his back".

Former soldier Ms Mjadzelics' concerns were first dismissed by detectives - siding with Watkins' claims she was a jealous ex who was "harassing him".

However, four years later police properly investigated Watkins and found that was a dangerous and manipulative paedophile.

Ms Mjadzelics said: "I'm not surprised that someone has got to him while he's been inside jail. The only surprise is that it's taken 10 years. The crimes he committed were beyond evil. He sickens me to my stomach. He's probably had a target on his back in a place like Wakefield prison for a very long time."

Graphic design graduate Watkins found fame and fortune as frontman for the rock band LostProphets. The rock group - sold millions of records worldwide and had four top 10 UK albums.

Three years after Watkins was jailed, the Independent Office for Police Complaints (IOPC) found that there were a number of string of missed opportunities over a four year period before his arrest - which if had been acted upon would have saved some children from being abused. 

On one occasion, a simple check of a mobile phone owned by Ms Mjadzelics when she made a complaint about him would have revealed a message that spelled out his interest in sex with children, the IPCC ruled.

It also found that Ms Mjadzelics first reported Watkins to the authorities in December 2008 and was video interviewed in March 2009 when she told officers she had a message on her mobile phone from Watkins about his desire to sexually abuse children.

However, the phone was not examined because police thought "her report was malicious”.

As well as criticising the police's handling of the case, Ms Mjadzelics also feels that she was made a scapegoat by detectives after they charged her with possessing indecent images.

A court later heard she had swapped indecent images and had explicit online conversations about child abuse with Watkins in an attempt to trap him as part of her mission to cover up police failings. She was cleared of all charges by a jury.

Since then, the 48-year-old mum of one, has put that part of her life firmly out of her mind - and now carries out voluntary work for sick and injured animals.

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