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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Katie Dickinson

What Ian Watkins murder accused ‘said to singer’ before alleged murder

  • Rico Gedel is accused of murdering Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins, a convicted child sex offender, by slashing his throat in his cell at HMP Wakefield on 11 October 2025.
  • Prosecutors told Leeds Crown Court that Gedel, 25, allegedly stated, 'this is what paedophiles deserve' before the attack and later grinned and laughed asking prison officers to 'let me know when he dies'.
  • Gedel admitted to the court his hatred of sex offenders and claimed he chose Watkins due to proximity, having been moved to the cell next to him the night before.
  • Fellow inmate Samuel Dodsworth, 44, is accused of disposing of the makeshift knife used in the attack, which he denies, along with the murder charge.
  • Both Gedel and Dodsworth deny charges of murder and possessing a knife in prison, with the trial ongoing and the judge instructing jurors to disregard any sympathy for Watkins' past crimes.

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