Trial to begin of two men charged with murdering disgraced rock star Ian Watkins

Two men accused of murdering disgraced Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins are set to go on trial.

Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, are charged with murdering Watkins at HMP Wakefield on October 11.

The 48-year-old paedophile singer, serving a 29-year sentence for child sex offences, was pronounced dead at the maximum security jail.

Watkins was jailed in December 2013, with a further six years on licence, after admitting a string of sex offences – including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.

He was arrested following the execution of a drugs warrant at his Pontypridd home on September 21 2012 when a large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices were seized.

Analysis of the equipment uncovered the singer’s depraved behaviour.

Watkins was previously taken to hospital after being attacked in 2023.

In 2019, he was jailed for an additional 10 months after he was found guilty of possessing a mobile phone in prison.

The trial is expected to open at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday.