Joanne Mjadzelics, an ex-girlfriend who played a crucial role in exposing Ian Watkins of the Lostprophets as a dangerous pedophile, expressed her relief at his murder in prison, admitting she was more surprised it hadn’t happened sooner.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Mjadzelics recounted her reaction to Watkins being fatally attacked in the UK prison where he was serving a lengthy 29-year sentence for horrifying sex crimes, including those against infants. “I was always waiting for this phone call,” she revealed.
She noted that Watkins arrived at prison with a “target on his back” from day one, indicating that she had anticipated such an outcome for a long time. “I expected it to have happened earlier,” she declared.
Mjadzelics lived in continuous fear that Watkins would one day escape and seek revenge against her for helping unveil his crimes leading up to his 2013 sentencing.
Of his brutal murder, she stated, “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.”
For Mjadzelics, there is no grief for her former partner, as she reflects on the person she thought she knew. “The man I fell in love with never existed,” she explained. “He manipulated me, and the person who died today was a stranger to me. I never loved him; he just played a role.”
Prior to his arrest in 2012 on drug charges, Watkins had enjoyed a successful career with the Lostprophets. However, the police’s search of his home unveiled a horrifying collection of child exploitation materials—details Mjadzelics had long reported to the authorities.
Watkins later confessed to preying on the infants of female fans, including one disturbing message sent to a young mother: “If you belong to me, so does your baby.”
Receiving a sentence of over 30 years, a judge denied him the chance to appeal, citing his “shocking depravity,” as reported by The Independent.
Watkins’ death occurred Saturday morning as he exited his cell, where he was ambushed by an inmate wielding a shank that cut his jugular, ultimately leading to a rapid death on the prison block.
Sources described the murder as “brutal” and “shocking, even by prison standards.”
His assailant has reportedly been arrested, along with another individual linked to the homicide.
This incident was not the first time in his prison life that Watkins faced violence. In 2023, he had been taken hostage and beaten for hours due to a purported $1,200 drug debt.
This is the second incident where someone has targeted his throat. I had always expected something like this to happen,” Mjadzelics remarked, noting his nearly 13 years behind bars.
