One of the two HMP Wakefield inmates accused of murdering paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins in prison has pleaded not guilty.
Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were charged with murder over the alleged prison attack on October 11.
At Leeds Crown Court today, Dodsworth pleaded not guilty to murder.
Dodsworth appeared by video link in court on Wednesday for a hearing which also involved his co-accused, Gedel, who was referred to as Rico Gedel during the proceedings.
Judge Guy Kearl KC heard from a prison officer how Gedel had refused to leave his cell at HMP Long Lartin, in Worcestershire.
The charge of murder was put to Dodsworth, who is still at HMP Wakefield, and he pleaded not guilty over the link.
He also denied a charge of possession of a makeshift knife inside a prison.
Imran Khan, defending Gedel, said his client had indicated he would not appear on the video link as he wanted to be in court in-person.
No pleas were entered for Gedel.
Judge Kearl, the Recorder of Leeds, confirmed a trial date for both men of May 5 2026, saying it could last up to four weeks.
Watkins, who previously pleaded guilty of his child sex offence crimes – which included the attempted rape of an 11-year-old baby – died from blood loss after his throat was said to be slashed in the attack last month.
Police and medics rushed to the scene but the 48-year-old could not be saved.
Watkins was ‘airlifted to hospital’ as the prison, also known by its nickname of ‘Monster Mansion’, was ‘locked down’.
The former Lostprophets singer, who formed the band in 1997 alongside Lee Gaze, was also left ‘fighting for his life’ after a knife attack in 2023, a decade into his sentence.
The disgraced singer was serving a 35-year sentence after being convicted of 13 child sex offences in 2013, including three counts of sexual assault involving children.
Police were not aware of the depths of Watkins’ depravity when they raided his Pontypridd home in September 2012 for drugs, but after his computer, mobile phones and storage devices were seized, his crimes were unearthed and he was charged.
During his 15 years as lead singer of Lostprophets, Watkin used his status to prey on fans, with two mothers offering up their babies to be abused.
In court at the time of his sentencing, the ex-musician was described as ‘a determined and committed paedophile’, and Lord Justice Christopher Pitchford said his acts were ‘shocking’.
In 2014, Watkins was refused the right to appeal against his 35-year sentence. Lawyers for Watkins claimed he should have his jail term cut because his last-minute guilty plea spared a jury from having to watch his home-made child pornography.
Among the disturbing videos due to be shown at his trial included his attempted rape of a baby and a webcam chat in which he instructed a crazed fan to abuse her child.
Lord Justice Pitchford said on the refusal: ‘These were offences against infant children of such shocking depravity that a very lengthy sentence of imprisonment was demanded.
‘It is not demonstrated the total sentence of 29 years together with the extended licence period was arguably manifestly excessive. Accordingly, the application in his case is refused.’
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