The jury in the trial of two prisoners accused of murdering the disgraced former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has been discharged for legal reasons, prompting a retrial. The judge at Leeds Crown Court told jurors on Friday that the case would have to be retried, expressing disappointment for all involved.
Background of the Case
Watkins was serving a 29-year prison sentence for child sexual offences at HMP Wakefield, a high-security prison, when he was stabbed to death. The defendants, Rico Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 44, both denied murdering Watkins and possessing a makeshift knife in prison. The court heard evidence about the stabbing, which allegedly occurred shortly after prison officers began unlocking cells on the morning of the incident.
The Prosecution's Argument
Prosecutors alleged that Gedel used a homemade weapon to attack Watkins in his cell. Immediately after the stabbing, Gedel allegedly left the cell and handed the makeshift knife to Dodsworth, who then disposed of it in a bin. The prosecution argued that both men were jointly responsible for Watkins's death, claiming Dodsworth, who is serving a sentence for raping a woman, was aware of the planned attack and assisted by helping to conceal the weapon.
The Defence's Position
Dodsworth denied any involvement in the killing, insisting he was not part of any plan and came into contact with the weapon only after the incident, before panicking and throwing it away. Gedel told the court he disliked being housed with sex offenders at Wakefield and chose Watkins because of proximity, as they were placed in neighbouring cells the night before the attack. He admitted that "part of him" wanted to kill Watkins, but said, "Sometimes what your heart wants is not what your brain wants."
Legal Proceedings and Retrial
Prosecutors told the jury both men were guilty of murder because Dodsworth "knew the attack was going to happen," though they argued the stabbing was carried out by Gedel. The defence maintained that Dodsworth was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and reacted in panic after unexpectedly being handed the knife. Gedel's evidence acknowledged feeling jealous of "nonce prisoners" who got "treated like royalty" but did not formally accept guilt of murder.
Watkins was jailed for 29 years in December 2013, with a further six years on licence, after admitting to a string of sexual offences, including the attempted rape of a fan's baby. With the jury now discharged, the case will be listed for a retrial at a later date, meaning the allegations against both men remain unresolved before the courts.
