West Yorkshire Police have announced the arrest of two additional individuals in connection with the passing of former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins at HMP Wakefield on October 11.
The arrested men, aged 23 and 39, were apprehended at the prison on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. Both suspects are currently in police custody and are scheduled for interviews on Tuesday. Subsequently, they will be granted bail and returned to prison as investigations progress.
This development comes after two inmates at HMP Wakefield were charged with the murder of Watkins earlier in the month.
Rashid Gedel, also known as Rico Gedel during court proceedings, and Samuel Dodsworth, aged 43, are facing murder charges for their alleged involvement in the incident. Watkins, aged 48, who was serving a lengthy sentence for child sex offenses, was pronounced deceased at the scene despite emergency services responding to the prison on October 11.
During a court appearance on October 14, Dodsworth participated via video link from HMP Wakefield, while Gedel refused to attend remotely, expressing a preference to be present in person. Both defendants were remanded in custody until their upcoming court appearance for plea and trial preparation on November 12, with a tentative trial date set for May 5 by Judge Guy Kearl.
Watkins was sentenced to 29 years in prison in 2013 for multiple sexual offenses, including the attempted rape of an infant. His criminal activities were exposed following a police raid on his residence in 2012, where incriminating evidence was discovered. Previously, Watkins had been assaulted in 2023, and in 2019, he faced additional jail time for possessing a mobile phone while incarcerated.
The former rock star’s attempts to appeal his sentence in 2014 were unsuccessful.