Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins died this month after being attacked in prison and stabbed in the neck. Now, an “inquest” into his death has concluded with a coroner ruling that the stab wound was his official cause of death.
Watkins, 48, was a convicted child sex offender who was murdered in Wakefield Prison, where he was being held. NME reports that he was supposed to serve a 29-year prison sentence “with a further six years on licence.”
On Friday, October 24, an “inquest” into Watkins’ death was opened and closed at Wakefield Coroner’s Court. During the hearing, Coroner Oliver Longstaff stated that, on Oct. 11, Watkins was pronounced dead at the West Yorkshire jail by an attending doctor and was formally identified by a member of the prison staff.
Longstaff also stated that paramedics were called to the prison “following a report [Watkins] had been stabbed in the neck.” The coroner confirmed that a post-mortem report indicated that his cause of death was an incision to the neck.
The coroner also stated that other prisoners had been charged with murder, and the coroner’s investigation would be suspended “pending the outcome of the criminal justice process.”
In 2013, the disgraced rock singer pleaded guilty to 13 sex offences, 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.”
Following Watkins’ death, two men were arrested: Rashid Gedel, 25 — who was referred to as Rico Gedel in court — and Samuel Dodsworth, 43. They were charged two days after Watkins’ murder. A plea and trial preparation hearing is set for Nov. 12, and after that, they are expected back in court on May 5, 2026, with the trial expected to last for up to three weeks.
Two More Suspects have been arrested and questioned in connection with Watkins’ murder
In another recent development, police have confirmed that “two more men from the prison had been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.” DCI James Entwistle of the homicide and major inquiry team said: “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,” he added. “However, we do not anticipate any immediate developments at this stage.”
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