Despised pedophile Ian Watkins, also known as the former frontman of Lostprophets, was murdered in prison, HMP Wakefield, on October 11. Following the murder, 25-year-old Rashid “Rico” Gedel, 25, and 43-year-old Samuel Dodsworth were arrested two days later in relation to the act. However, on November 12, Dodsworth appeared in court via video and pleaded “not guilty.” He is set to stand trial on May 5, 2026.
In recent reports, it was revealed that Watkins was stabbed by a “sharpened toilet brush” due to drug debt, among other possible factors. Dodsworth denied having this in his possession.
However, Gedel did not appear at the Leeds Crown Court on November 12, and no pleas were entered. BBC reports that Gedel “refused to leave his cell” as he wanted to appear in person.
After being convicted in 2013 of multiple sexual offenses—including the assault of several young children and possession of extreme child and animal sexual abuse materials—Watkins was sentenced to 29 years in prison, only serving about a dozen years of the sentence.
Additionally, this was not Watkins’s first run-in with his fellow inmates, as he was stabbed in 2023, and taken hostage by three men.
Stay tuned for more case updates.
