A man on trial for the murder of former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has told a jury he slashed the paedophile's throat, saying 'this is what paedophiles deserve'. Rico Gedel, 25, is charged with murder alongside Samuel Dodsworth, 43, following the attack at HMP Wakefield in October last year.
Giving evidence at Leeds Crown Court, Gedel described stabbing and slashing Watkins, 48, who was serving a 29-year sentence for child sexual offences. He claimed he had repeatedly told prison officers of his 'disgust' for sex offenders and believed they 'knew I was going to do it'. Gedel said he felt he needed to attack a sex offender to be moved into segregation.
The court heard Gedel and Watkins had exchanged verbal abuse on previous occasions, with Gedel calling Watkins a 'paedophile' and a 'scumbag', and Watkins responding with racial slurs. Gedel said he was eventually moved to a cell next to Watkins after assaulting three other prisoners.
Gedel alleged Dodsworth gave him the makeshift knife used in the attack. He told jurors he initially did not want to name Dodsworth to avoid being labelled a 'snitch', but said: 'I don't want to defend the type of person he is.' Gedel, who was convicted of murder in 2023 and had an appeal rejected, said he felt he had 'no hope or future' after being found guilty of a crime he says he did not commit.
The trial continues.
