Two men charged with murder of Lostprophets’ Ian Watkins

Two men have been charged with the murder of disgraced Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins.

Two men have been charged with the murder of Ian Watkins.

The former Lostprophets frontman – who was serving a 29-year sentence for a string of child sex offences – was fatally injured during an incident at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire on Saturday (11.10.25) morning and now Rashid Gedel, 25, and 43-year-old Samuel Dodsworth have been charged over the killing.

The pair will appear before Leeds Magistrates’ Court on Monday (13.10.25), West Yorkshire Police have announced.

Police and paramedics were called to the prison after the paedophile singer was reportedly ambushed and fatally injured after a knife attack.

Watkins was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: “At 9.39am this morning, police were called by staff at HMP Wakefield reporting an assault on a prisoner. Emergency services attended and the man was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

“Detectives from the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team are investigating and inquiries remain ongoing at the scene.”

A Prison Service spokesperson added in a statement: “We are aware of an incident at HMP Wakefield which took place this morning. We are unable to comment further while the police investigate.”

Prison guards were said to have been unable to “save” the inmate.

A source told The Sun: “Guards were nearby and raced to the scene pretty quickly – but there was nothing they could do, and they could not save him.

“It was a horrific scene, with blood everywhere and alarms and sirens going off.

“Police and ambulances were called and the whole prison was locked down with all cons confined to their cells.”

Watkins, 48, was jailed in December 2013 for 29 years after admitting to a string of sex offences – including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.

The disgraced musician was caught in 2012 following the execution of a drugs warrant at his home in Pontypridd, Wales, where a large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices were seized by police.

Analysis of the equipment revealed Watkins’ depraved behaviour.

The Welsh singer had previously been stabbed in an incident at the same prison in 2023 and suffered non life-threatening injuries after reportedly being taken hostage by three other inmates for six hours.