'Amused' killer joked about becoming 'famous' minutes after fatal stabbing of Ian Watkins, court told
He was heard to say ‘have a good night’s sleep Watkins lad’ as singer lay stricken, court hears
A prisoner who slashed the throat of fellow inmate Ian Watkins made a joke after the attack boasting to an officer: “You could be talking to someone famous”, a court has heard.
Rico Gedel is on trial for murder of the infamous 48-year-old Lostprophets singer at HMP Wakefield.
Watkins was serving a 35-year sentence for a string of child sex offences.
Gedel, 25, denies murder but accepts killing Watkins in his own cell by slashing his throat with a makeshift knife.
He accepts a charge of manslaughter, claiming he lost control.
Samuel Dodsworth also denies murder. Although the 44-year-old was not directly involved in the attack, he was handed the weapon to dispose of after the attack in October last year.
He denies being part of planning the attack on Watkins or knowing why he was handed the weapon.
Both are standing trial at Leeds Crown Court, with the Crown saying it was a joint venture.
Opening the case for the Crown today, Tom Storey KC told the jury that shortly before 9.20am on October 11 last year, CCTV showed Gedel entering Watkins’ cell.
Dodsworth was stood nearby looking towards Watkins’ cell. Gedel re-emerged from the cell around 20 seconds later and met Dodsworth.
He was then seen to pass something to Dodsworth, who glanced at it before putting it into the pocket of his jogging bottoms, Mr Storey said.
Watkins then briefly left his cell with blood visible on his shirt and holding his neck.
Staff came to his aid and pressed a towel against his neck over the heavily-bleeding 4cm wound.
He was asked who had attacked him and Watkins was able to answer, referring to someone who resembled Gedel.
While being tended to, Watkins went into shock and his limbs began “spasming” before he lost consciousness, Mr Storey said.
He went into cardiac arrest and nurses began performing CPR. A defibrillator was unsuccessfully used. He was declared dead at 10.14am.
Meanwhile, Gedel had punched another man in the melee that ensued, and was grabbed by officers.
He was returned to his cell, which was next to Watkins’, and as he passed the open door, said: “Have a good night’s sleep, Watkins lad.”
Officers later reported that Gedel found the attack “amusing”, the jury was told.
Meanwhile, a prisoner informed a guard that the weapon had been dropped in a bin, close to where Dodsworth was seen.
In the bin, they found a homemade knife bound in tape and covered in blood.
It was a Stanley-type blade attached to a piece of blue plastic with multiple layers of Sellotape wrapped around to form a grip handle.
The prosecution said that later, while speaking to officers, Gedel appeared happy to talk about the crimes that led to him be jailed at HMP Wakefield and said words to the effect: “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 told the jury: “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, inflicting three wounds to his head and neck.
“He then left Watkins’ cell and handed the weapon he had used to Dodsworth, who the prosecution say had clearly been keeping a lookout for him, and was waiting in anticipation of receiving the weapon.
“Once it became clear that the wing was going to be locked down, Dodsworth then took the weapon and hid it in one of the bins in the recess area leading to the showers, where it was subsequently found by prison officers.”
Welsh singer Watkins was serving a lengthy 35-year sentence for a string of child-sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.
The sentencing judge in 2013 told Watkins he had "plunged into new depths of depravity" and had shown little remorse for his sickening crimes.
He was 12 years into his sentence, and had previously been attacked in 2023, although he escaped with minor injuries.
Watkins was also found guilty after a trial of possessing a banned phone in prison in 2019, using it to contact a woman with whom he had previously had a relationship.
The trial, which is expected to last three weeks or more, continues.