Two men appear in court charged with Ian Watkins’ murder
The convicted paedophile and former Lostprophets singer was murdered in HMP Wakefield on Saturday
Two men have appeared in court charged with the murder of convicted paedophile and former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins.
Watkins was serving a 29-year jail term for a string of heinous sexual offences, including crimes against young children and babies at HMP Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
He died on Saturday (October 11) after being attacked in prison, and Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court this morning (October 13) charged with his murder.
As BBC News report, the pair only spoke to confirm their names and date of birth. They were then told that they would appear before Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed Watkins’ death on Saturday and said detectives from the homicide and major inquiry team have begun an investigation after prison staff were called to an assault on a prisoner on Saturday morning and found Watkins dead at the scene.
The details of the attack are yet to be revealed, but Sky News says he was attacked with a knife, while The Sun claims he had his throat slashed after inmates were unlocked from their cells this morning.
It comes after Watkins was previously attacked at the jail in August 2023, attacked by three other prisoners who attacked him and left him with neck injuries which required hospital treatment.
Watkins was jailed in December 2013 after admitting a string of horrific sex offences – including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.