Overview

• West Yorkshire Police said staff at HMP Wakefield called at 9:39am to report an assault on a prisoner, and emergency crews pronounced the man dead at the scene.
• Detectives from the force’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team are leading the investigation, with inquiries ongoing and no arrests or motive publicly disclosed.
• A Prison Service spokesperson confirmed an incident at the facility and declined further comment while the police investigation continues.
• HMP Wakefield, often referred to as ‘Monster Mansion,’ is a Category A prison of roughly 750 inmates with an ultra-secure unit added in 2001.
• Watkins had previously been targeted in a reported ‘targeted and prolonged’ attack in August 2023, underscoring the risks faced by sex offenders in custody.