An inmate mocked Ian Watkins, the convicted Lostprophets pedophile, as he lay dying in his prison cell after being stabbed, saying, “Have a good night’s sleep, Watkins lad,” according to court testimony.
Ian Watkins, aged 48, passed away following an alleged assault last October at HMP Wakefield, where he was serving a 29-year prison sentence for child sexual offenses.
Rashid Gedel, 25, also known as Rico Gedel in court, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, are currently on trial at Leeds Crown Court facing murder charges in connection with Watkins’ death.
During the trial, prosecutor Tom Storey KC informed the jury that Gedel had attacked Watkins inside his cell on the morning of October 11, stabbing him three times with a makeshift bladed weapon, which Dodsworth allegedly later concealed.
The court was told that Gedel then taunted Watkins as prison officers led him back to his nearby cell while medical staff were still attempting to provide first aid to the disgraced rock star.
Mr. Storey detailed the events, stating that Watkins was assaulted in his cell shortly after the prison officers had unlocked all the cell doors on his wing for the morning activities. The attack resulted in three wounds to Watkins’ head and neck, with one severing his jugular vein and surrounding muscle tissues. Gedel was identified as the assailant with a homemade bladed weapon, and the prosecution alleges that Dodsworth was complicit in the attack by assisting in concealing the weapon afterward.
Continuing his opening statement, Mr. Storey mentioned that Gedel was then escorted back to his cell by prison officers and passed by Watkins’ open cell door where he made the taunting remark, “have a good night’s sleep, Watkins lad.”
Gedel was later searched in his cell, but no incriminating items were found on his person or in his surroundings. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Gedel appeared to find his actions amusing, according to Mr. Storey. When asked about the weapon, Gedel claimed to have used only his hands, despite lacking any visible injuries or blood on him. The court was informed that his clothing and shoes were subsequently seized for investigation.
Ian Watkins was sentenced in December 2013 to 29 years in prison, with an additional six years on license, for various sexual offenses, including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby. His arrest in 2012 following a drugs warrant led to the discovery of disturbing content on his electronic devices. Watkins had previously been assaulted in 2023 and received an additional 10-month prison sentence in 2019 for possessing a mobile phone behind bars.