Two more men arrested over murder of Lostprophets’ Ian Watkins

Two more men have been arrested over the murder of Lostprophets‘ Ian Watkins.

The convicted child sex offender and former frontman was killed in Wakefield Prison aged 48 on October 11. Watkins was supposed to serve a 29-year sentence with a further six years on licence.

The singer pleaded guilty to 13 sex offences in 2013, including the attempted rape of a baby, conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving taking, making or possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal.

Two men were arrested following the news of his death, and Rashid Gedel, 25, who was referred to as Rico Gedel in court, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43 were charged with the killing of Watkins two days after.

A provisional trial date of May 5, 2026 has been set, with the trial expected take place for two to three weeks. A plea and trial preparation hearing has also been set for November 12 at Leeds Crown Court.

Now, police have confirmed that “two more men from the prison had been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder” and said the suspects, aged 23 and 39, would be interviewed before being bailed and returned to prison while inquiries continued, according to The Guardian.

DCI James Entwistle of the homicide and major inquiry team added: “Extensive inquiries remain ongoing in relation to the murder of Ian Watkins and these arrests form part of that. Ian Watkins’ family are being updated as the investigation progresses. However, we do not anticipate any immediate developments at this stage.”

Watkins was previously attacked in prison in 2023, where he was stabbed and taken hostage by three other inmates. He was later found and freed by officers and taken to hospital.

It was later reported that Watkins had been stabbed with a “sharpened toilet brush” over a drug debt.

The disgraced musician had allegedly “spent thousands on protection” while in prison, according to a 2024 book titled Life Behind Bars In The Monster Mansion by Jonathan Levi and Emma French.

In 2017, Watkins was also reported to have been grooming a mother from his prison cell, with the 21-year-old’s child subsequently taken into care after social services were alerted of her contact with the disgraced singer.

A spokesman from children’s charity NSPCC said they were “sickened” at the time, adding: “It’s utterly bewildering that he could carry on grooming. It shows contempt for children he abused, and raises serious questions about supervision.”

Prison officials in Wakefield claimed they found “nothing untoward” in Watkin’s exchanges with the mother through letters and emails, with a spokesman from the Lincolnshire police adding: “We will always take action to safeguard vulnerable adults and children.”

The post Two more men arrested over murder of Lostprophets’ Ian Watkins appeared first on NME.