Jailed singer Ian Watkins received threatening notes at HMP Wakefield day before he died, court told
Disgraced rock star was tod he must also pay up
Jailed singer Ian Watkins received threatening notes unless he paid money the day before he was killed, a jury heard.
The convicted paedophile was accused of having another prisoner removed from the wing at Wakefield prison and would face retribution.
He was brutally stabbed to death hours later.
Two fellow prisoners are on trial at Leeds Crown Court accused of his murder.
Prosecuting the case, Tom Storey KC told the jury that whether the notes were linked to his death, he “cannot say for sure”.
However, he said some some prisoners are more likely to be targeted for violence, that “snitches” or “grasses” are widely condemned by other prisoners and that Watkins was also “particularly notorious and high-profile”.
Rico Gedel and Samuel Dodsworth are on trial for murder of the infamous 48-year-old Lostprophets singer at HMP Wakefield on October 11 last year.
Watkins was 12 years into 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 being responsible, admitting manslaughter, claiming he lost control in the moment.
Samuel Dodsworth also denies murder. 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, it is claimed.
He denies being part of planning the attack on Watkins or knowing why he was handed the weapon, but the Crown claims it was a joint venture and that Dodsworth was Gedel’s lookout.
Gedel had been moved into the cell next door to Watkins the day before the fatal attack.
At around 9.20am on Saturday October 11, he was recorded on CCTV entering Watkins’ cell, then leaving around 20 seconds later.
In that time, he attacked Watkins with the makeshift knife made from a Stanley-type blade attached to a piece of plastic.
Watkins suffered three injuries, including the fatal slash wound to his throat which cut his jugular vein.
He was able to tell officers it was Gedel who attacked him before he lost consciousness. Due to excessive blood loss he died minutes later, despite efforts by nurses and paramedics to stem the blood and save his life.
Gedel was seen on CCTV to pass the blade to Dodsworth, who is accused of dumping it in a bin just before the prisoners were put into lockdown.
As Gedel was marched back to his cell, he was heard to say: “Have a good night’s sleep, Watkins lad.”
He then appeared to boast to an officer about “becoming famous” if Watkins died, the court heard.
Gedel told police during subsequent interviews that he thought it was “disgusting” that he had to share a wing with paeodphiles.
However, he denied sending the threatening notes to Watkins.
The trial, which is due to last at least three weeks, continues.