New particulars have been revealed in regards to the homicide of Ian Watkins, together with how an inmate allegedly ‘bragged’ after stabbing him to dying.
The previous Lostprophets frontman, 48, was stabbed within the head and neck in his cell whereas serving a 29-year jail sentence for baby intercourse offences, together with the tried rape of a child, at HMP Wakefield.
As we speak, Leeds Crown Courtroom heard how prisoner Rico Gedel, lower than 20 minutes after it was unlocked for the morning of October 11, 2025, entered the pedophile’s cell and stabbed him thrice with a do-it-yourself knife.
Gedel, 25, then allegedly handed the gun to fellow inmate Samuel Dodsworth, 44, who threw it away in a trash bin.
Within the fast dying of the disgraced rock star, prosecutors stated the assault lasted simply 20 seconds.
Gedel was “perky” when he was subsequently arrested, after reportedly saying, “Have an excellent night time, Watkins boy,” as he was taken previous the cell the place the previous singer was receiving medical therapy.
Gedel and Dodsworth each deny homicide and possession of an improvised knife in jail.
Nonetheless, after the assault, Gedel advised jail employees: “If I killed him, you could possibly be speaking to a star,” the jury heard.
Prosecutors say the assault was “a joint crime” between the 2 suspects, and Dodsworth knew it might occur.
Tom Storey KC described Watkins as a ‘significantly infamous and high-profile’ prisoner, saying he obtained two notes the day earlier than he was killed, accusing him of kicking one other prisoner off the wing, demanding cash from him and threatening violence.
Mr Storey stated that whereas it was unclear whether or not these notes had been behind the assault, prisons are locations the place “grudges are held and acted upon… and the place ‘insulting’ or ‘betraying’ others is seen in a foul gentle.”
Gedel had been moved to the identical wing as Watkins and Dodsworth the day earlier than the assault, and ‘coincidentally’ positioned within the cell subsequent to Watkins.
The subsequent morning, when his B-wing cell was unlocked at 9 a.m., Watkins opted to remain inside.
It was then that Gedel and Dodsworth met in one other prisoner’s cell, the courtroom heard, and that Dodsworth entered Watkins’ cell at 9.20am with a “dressing robe or towel wrapped in a bundle” earlier than leaving the cell with out it, CCTV footage exhibits.
After talking to Dodsworth and one other inmate, Gedel briefly returned to his personal cell after which stood towards the railing whereas Dodsworth ‘loitered’ on the prime of the steps and appeared to behave as a ‘lookout’, jurors heard.
Mr Storey stated: ‘At that time Gedel was in all probability ready for a second when the jail guards on the touchdown had been out of sight’ so he would have an ‘alternative’ to hold out the premeditated assault.
Footage exhibits Watkins briefly rising from his cell with blood seen on the neck of his T-shirt, as two upkeep staff see him holding his hand to his neck wound.
After signaling for assist, three jail guards ran to Watkins’ cell, the place he was bleeding.
Mr Storey stated Watkins was requested who had carried out this and he ‘stated one thing to the impact of: ‘That little black man’.’
Watkins, from Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, fell on his mattress and misplaced consciousness.
As a result of paramedics had been unable to revive him, he was pronounced lifeless simply earlier than 10:15 a.m.
All different prisoners had been then locked of their cells.
Watkins had already been attacked ‘a number of instances in Wakefield’ in recent times because of the nature of his crimes.
This included an incident in 2023, when Watkins was ‘combating for his life’ after being stabbed repeatedly. He was rushed to hospital after officers discovered him six hours after he was taken hostage by three different inmates.
Why was Ian Watkins in jail?
Watkins was sentenced to 29 years behind bars in December 2013, with an additional six years in jail after admitting a sequence of horrific crimes. In 2019, an additional 10 months had been added to his sentence after he was caught in possession of a banned cell phone, which an ex-girlfriend had tipped off the jail to.
Watkins appeared at Cardiff Crown Courtroom and admitted 13 ‘surprising’ offences. Though he denied the rape, he confessed to the tried rape and sexual assault of a kid below the age of 13.
He additionally admitted conspiracy to rape a baby, three counts of sexual assault involving youngsters, seven involving taking, making or possessing indecent pictures of youngsters, and one among possessing an excessive picture involving sexual acts with an animal.
Prosecutors stated his crimes had been ‘unimaginable’, with Mr Royce including on the time that the case had ‘plunged into new depths of depravity’.
Forward of the conclusion of his trial, Welsh rock band Lostprophets, which was shaped in 1997 by Watkins and guitarist Lee Gaze, canceled all their exhibits and break up up.
In March final yr, co-founder Gaze spoke out for the primary time, saying what occurred is “nonetheless painful to consider.”
“It may have been so completely different,” he added on-line.
“I do not discuss it a lot, however I put all the pieces into that tire, and it ought to have lasted a lifetime. I’ve by no means actually wronged anybody in my complete life, so it appeared like the final word punishment.”
The group had a big cult following and Watkins used his standing to prey on followers. Two followers provided up their infants to be abused, with the moms turning into his co-defendants and receiving jail sentences of 14 and 17 years.
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