Ian Watkins murder trial: Prisoner claimed he could become famous for killing disgraced LostProphets singer, jury hears

A prisoner accused of murdering pedophile singer Ian Watkins told prison staff: “If I killed him, you might be talking to someone famous.” Prosecutors told the jury.

Watkins, the former frontman of rock band LostProphets, was stabbed to death in his cell at the high-security HMP Wakefield facility on October 11, 2025.

He was serving a 29-year prison sentence for sex crimes against children, including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.

Fellow inmates Rico Gedel and Samuel Dodsworth are on trial at Leeds Crown Court, accused of Watkins’ murder.

On Thursday, the court heard Gedel entered Watkins’ cell 20 minutes after it was unlocked in the morning. He then stabbed the former singer three times in the head and neck with a homemade knife, before handing the gun to Dodsworth, who threw it into a bin.

Prosecutors said the attack lasted just 20 seconds.

It was later claimed that Gedel was “alive” when taken into custody by prison officials, and that he said “sleep well, young Watkins” while being passed in front of the cell where the former singer was being treated.

He later told police he was jealous of “once-convicts” because they were “treated like royalty” and that he thought it was disgusting to share a non-segregated wing with sex offenders at HMP Wakefield.

Gedel, 25, and Dodsworth, 44, initially named by police as Rashid Gedel, deny murder and possession of a makeshift knife in prison.

Prosecutors said the attack was a “joint assault” between the two defendants and that Dodsworth knew it was going to happen.

Tom Storey KC, who opened the case to jurors on Thursday, said Watkins, a “particularly notorious and high-profile” prisoner, received two notes the day before he was killed, accusing him of having another prisoner thrown from the wing, demanding money and threatening violence.

Mr Storey said although it was unclear whether the notes were behind the attack, prisons were “places where grudges are carried and acted upon… and where ‘grazing’ or ‘snitching’ on others is viewed in a bad light”.

The court heard Gedel was placed in the same wing as Watkins and Dodsworth the day before the attack and was “coincidentally” put in the cell next to Watkins.

On the morning of Watkins’ death, prison officers began unlocking cells in wing B after 9 a.m. and Gedel left his cell, but Watkins chose to remain inside.

The court heard Gedel and Dodsworth met in another prisoner’s cell and Dodsworth entered the cell “wearing a dressing gown or towel rolled up in a bundle” and left without it.

After speaking with Dodsworth and another inmate, Gedel briefly returned to his own cell and stood leaning against the bars, while Dodsworth “loitered” near the top of the stairs and acted as a “lookout,” jurors said.

Mr Storey said: “Meanwhile Gedel was likely waiting for a moment when the prison officers on the landing would be out of sight and he would have the opportunity to carry out the planned attack on Mr Watkins.”

CCTV showed Gedel entering Watkins’ cell just before 9.20am and leaving just 20 seconds later, then walking towards Dodsworth and handing him something.

Jurors heard Dodsworth looked at the item and put it in the pocket of his jogging pants.

In the footage, Watkins can be seen leaving his cell briefly with blood visible on the collar of his T-shirt.

Two workers doing maintenance work at the prison saw him putting his hand to his neck and bleeding from the wound.

They signaled for help and three prison officers ran towards Watkins’ cell, where he was bleeding from his injuries.

An officer used his radio to call for emergency help while pressing a towel to a “particularly large wound” on Watkins’ neck.

Mr Storey said he asked who had done it and Watkins “said something to the effect of ‘that little black man'”.

Watkins, from Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, collapsed on his bed and lost consciousness.

Paramedics were unable to resuscitate him and he was pronounced dead just before 10.15am.

Mr Storey said that as prison officers rushed to grab Gedel he “just stood there with his arms outstretched and not resisting them in any way”.

As he was being escorted back to his cell, jurors passed Watkins’ open door and said: “Good night, Watkins lad.”

Mr Storey said he commented on the “lively demeanor” of staff who were told to observe Gedel through a hatch in his cell door.

“He discussed with one of them the crime for which he was imprisoned at HMP Wakefield in the first place and said something to the effect of ‘If I’m going to get a life sentence for murder I’ll make sure it’s worth it’,” the prosecutor said.

“He told the same officer, ‘If I killed him, you might be talking to someone famous.’”

Before all the prisoners were locked in their cells, Dodsworth was seen going into an alcove with some trash cans.

A homemade knife with blood on it was found at the bottom of one of the bins by prison officials.

The trial continues.