Ian Watkins, Convicted Child Sex Offender, Killed in Prison Cell at HMP Wakefield

M. on Oct. 11, 2025, and left roughly 20 seconds later after attacking the former Lostprophets frontman with a homemade knife, surveillance footage showed.

Ian Watkins, 48, emerged clutching his neck with blood visible on his shirt. Maintenance workers alerted officers, who found him with three slash wounds to the head and neck. One wound measured more than four inches long and severed Ian Watkins' jugular vein and voice box.

A prison officer pressed a towel against the particularly large wound on his neck. m. Rico Gedel allegedly handed an item to Samuel Dodsworth, 44, after leaving the cell.

Samuel Dodsworth is accused of acting as a lookout and disposing of the weapon. Both men deny murder and possession of a weapon in prison. ” Prison officers described Rico Gedel as “perky” and “happy to chat” after the incident.

He allegedly appeared to find the situation amusing. ” During police interviews, Rico Gedel allegedly said he was jealous of “nonce (pedophile) prisoners” because they were treated “like royalty” inside the prison. Ian Watkins was serving a 29-year prison sentence for child sex crimes including the attempted rape of a baby.

Prosecutor Tom Storey said Ian Watkins was a “particularly notorious and high-profile” prisoner who had received threats from inmates before his death. ” He added that it is clear on the evidence that Rico Gedel carried out the attack upon Ian Watkins using that home-made knife and that Samuel Dodsworth encouraged and assisted him.