Who is Joanne Mjadzelics? All about Ian Watkins' ex-partner amid his prison death

Ian Watkins sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court, Wales, UK - Source: Getty
Ian Watkins sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court, Wales, UK (2013) - Source: Getty

Joanne Mjadzelics is a British woman from Doncaster who gained widespread notoriety as the ex-girlfriend and whistleblower of Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins.

Her name gained attention again after Watkins died in prison on October 11, 2025. For years, Mjadzelics had been one of the few people who tried to warn authorities about Watkins’ disturbing actions before his 2013 conviction for serious child sex crimes.

Mjadzelics’ story is one of a woman who started as a fan but later found herself caught in a dangerous and distressing situation. What began as a romantic relationship with a famous musician soon turned into a mission to expose his crimes. Despite her warnings, she was ignored by the police and faced her own legal troubles before finally being cleared of any wrongdoing.

Today, Mjadzelics is often seen as a key figure who helped uncover one of the most shocking abuse cases in modern British history. Her experiences also raised questions about how police handle reports from whistleblowers and victims.


Joanne Mjadzelics' relationship with Ian Watkins

Ian Watkins was introduced to Joanne Mjadzelics in 2006 when he approached the band via their official website to inquire about concert tickets. Watkins responded to her message personally, and the two of them started a romantic liaison that lasted a few years on and off.

During their interviews, Joanne Mjadzelics stated that she was so infatuated with him when the relationship was in its early stages and even had his initials tattooed on her body. However, over time, she began to observe some troubling behaviors in Watkins. According to her, he had sent her harassing messages that indicated that he had an interest in child abuse.

Joanne Mjadzelics has also testified that she was flabbergasted and terrified by such conversations, as she understood that he was not joking but meant what he said. The rising concern evolved into fear when she realized how far Watkins had gone. This was the junction at which she chose to take some action, knowing that she was never going to allow him to kill others.

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Whistleblower efforts and legal struggles

As early as 2008, Joanne Mjadzelics started calling the police with evidence that Watkins was dangerous to children. She posted pictures, emails, and other resources that he was interested in child abuse. She even introduced one of his female admirers, who was subsequently found guilty with him, to curb further crimes.

However, at the beginning, Joanne Mjadzelics was not considered seriously. Sanctions indicated that she was considered an irate former girlfriend instead of a reliable witness by authorities. Years later, police watchdog reports have acknowledged that the complaint should have been investigated.

In 2015, Joanne Mjadzelics was also on trial herself following an accusation of possessing and distributing illegal images. She said that she had just maintained those files to gather evidence against Watkins.

She was acquitted of all charges after a trial that lasted eight days. She took law enforcement to task, saying that they had not dealt with the case when she initially presented evidence to them.

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Edited by Nimisha