A prisoner who slashed paedophile rock star Ian Watkins’s neck said he was jealous of ‘nonce prisoners’ because they were ‘treated like royalty’, a court heard today. 

Rico Gedel, 25, allegedly killed Watkins, 48, in a 20-second jail cell attack before quipping, ‘have a good night’s sleep’ as he lay dying, a jury heard. 

The depraved former Lostprophets frontman was serving 35 years for a string of horrific child sex offences when he was ambushed at HMP Wakefield, one of Britain’s toughest high-security prisons. 

The suspect is said to have later boasted: ‘If I’m going to do life for murder, I’m going to make sure it’s worth it.’

Gedel also allegedly told a prison officer: ‘If I’ve killed him, you could be talking to someone famous.’

After being arrested he told police that ‘God’ had inflicted the injuries on Watkins, adding that he was jealous of ‘nonce prisoners’ because they were treated ‘like royalty’. 

‘Notorious’ Watkins – jailed in 2013 for child sexual activity and the attempted rape of a baby – had become a target for inmates who believed jail was ‘too good’ for him, Leeds Crown Court heard. 

He suffered three deep slash wounds to his head and neck shortly after officers unlocked cell doors on his wing on the morning of October 11, 2025. 

One 10.5cm cut sliced through his voice box and jugular vein, causing catastrophic blood loss. 

Paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins was murdered in a 20-second prison cell knife attack by a fellow inmate, a court heard today

Rico Gedel, 25, has gone on trial accused of murdering Ian Watkins at Wakefield prison in October 2025

Gedel and fellow serving prisoner Samuel Dodsworth, 44, deny murdering Watkins and possessing an offensive weapon in prison. 

Opening the case, prosecutor Tom Storey, KC, told jurors how Watkins was a target for those who believed ‘imprisonment is somehow too good’ for child sex offenders. 

‘There are some criminal offences which are so heinous that they defy belief, these include the more extreme examples of child sex offences. 

‘There are those who perhaps believe that the punishments meted out by our courts upon people who commit such offences do not go far enough. 

‘But we have not had the death penalty in this country since 1965, and when we did, it was reserved for offences of murder and treason.’ 

He added: ‘Nevertheless, because of the particular stigma which attaches to those who commit child sex offences, even when they are sentenced to decades in prison for their crimes, they remain targets for those who take the view that their punishment is not severe enough, that imprisonment is somehow too good for them. 

‘And on occasion, some people decide simply to take the law into their own hands and to enact their own form of punishment upon such offenders.’  

Jurors were told of Watkins’ last hours inside the category-A prison in West Yorkshire, nicknamed ‘Monster Mansion’ because of the dangerous and high-profile criminals it houses. 

Watkins was attacked a day after receiving two notes accusing him of getting another prisoner removed from the wing, demanding money and threatening violence, the court heard. 

Samuel Dodsworth, 44, is alleged to have acted as a ‘look-out’ and disposed of the murder weapon in a bin

That same evening, Gedel was ‘entirely coincidentally’ placed in a cell directly next door to Watkins, having been moved from a different wing. 

The following morning, officers began unlocking cells shortly after 9am, with Watkins remaining inside his cell. 

Gedel, jurors heard, was a ‘basic prisoner’, meaning he was allowed out of his cell for only 30 minutes on Saturday mornings. 

Mr Storey said he would have known he had only a short window ‘to do what he planned to do that morning’. 

CCTV footage captured Gedel entering Watkins’ cell at 9.19am before leaving 20 seconds later. 

Mr Storey said: ‘The CCTV footage shows Ian Watkins emerging briefly from his cell at the same time as two workmen, who were carrying out maintenance in the prison were walking towards him along the landing. 

‘And the footage clearly shows blood visible on the neck of the t-shirt he was wearing. 

‘The workmen noticed Watkins emerging from his cell. 

‘They saw that he was holding his hand to his neck, and was obviously bleeding from a wound. 

‘The workmen immediately signalled for staff assistance, and three prison officers who had been outside an office further along the landing ran towards Watkins’ cell.’ 

When a prison officer who provided first aid to Watkins asked who was responsible for the attack, he replied: ‘That little black fella.’ 

Shortly afterwards Watkins went into cardiac arrest and he lost consciousness. 

Meanwhile, Gedel was detained by guards and taken back to his cell, passing Watkins’ open cell door as emergency treatment was underway. 

As he walked past, Gedel allegedly remarked: ‘Have a good night’s sleep, Watkins lad.’ 

He was said to have found ‘the situation amusing’, the court was told. 

Outlining the case, Mr Storey told jurors: ‘Whilst the prosecution cannot say precisely what happened in Watkins’ cell during the 20 seconds that Gedel was inside it, it is clear given what happened that during that short window of time, Gedel had attacked Watkins with a home-made bladed weapon. 

‘In the course, inflicting three wounds to his head and neck, one of which was particularly severe in nature.’ 

Dodsworth is alleged to have acted as a ‘look-out’ for Gedel and disposed of the murder weapon – a Stanley knife-type blade fixed into blue plastic, with multiple layers of Sellotape wound around it – in a bin. 

After Watkins was declared dead on a prison landing, less than an hour after being attacked, police launched a murder investigation. 

Gedel was placed under constant observation through the hatch in his cell door, where prison officers described him as ‘perky’ and ‘happy to chat’. 

He is said to have told one guard: ‘If I’m going to do life for murder, I’m going to make sure it’s worth it.’ 

He also told the same officer ‘If I’ve killed him, you could be talking to someone famous’, Mr Storey said. 

Both defendants were arrested and taken to separate police stations. 

In interview, Gedel initially answered ‘no comment’ before stating how he was jealous of ‘nonce prisoners’ because they were treated ‘like royalty’. 

When asked who had caused Watkins’ injuries, Gedel replied: ‘God’. 

He denied having any knowledge about the threatening notes received by Watkins.

Jurors heard how Gedel is expected to admit killing Watkins but will argue he lost his self-control. 

Dodsworth denies knowing about the attack in advance and denies helping to plan or carry it out. 

He said he ‘panicked’ after being given the weapon and tried to hand it back. 

The court heard how Watkins was slashed three times, with a 10.5cm-long cut to the left side of his neck proving fatal. 

Mr Storey said: ‘This injury to his jugular vein would have caused significant external bleeding, which was the most likely cause of Ian Watkins’ death.’ 

Gedel’s trainers and tracksuit bottoms were found to be blood-stained, the court was told, with samples matching Watkins’ DNA profile. 

Mr Storey concluded his opening address by telling the jury: ‘Whatever view you may take of those who commit even the most heinous criminal offences, that provides no legal justification whatsoever for taking another’s life in the way that occurred in this case. 

‘Ultimately, what the prosecution say is that it is clear on the evidence that Rico Gedel carried out the attack upon Ian Watkins, inflicting those fatal injuries upon him using that home-made knife. 

‘And that is equally clear Samuel Dodsworth encouraged and assisted him in that enterprise.’

Watkins, from Pontypridd, South Wales, was handed consecutive 14-year and 15-year jail terms in 2013 for engaging in sexual activity with a child and the attempted rape of an 11-month-old baby. 

The disgraced singer was also convicted of 11 other offences at Cardiff Crown Court, with those sentences running alongside his 29-year term. 

The trial continues.