Coroner Confirms Watkins Died; Two More Arrested

A coroner has confirmed former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins died from an incision/stab wound to the neck after an attack at HMP Wakefield on October 11, and an inquest has opened but will be suspended pending the criminal process. Two inmates, Rashid (Rico) Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, have been charged with murder and are remanded awaiting trial, with a provisional trial date set for May 5, 2026. West Yorkshire Police have arrested two further men from HMP Wakefield, aged 23 and 39, on suspicion of conspiracy to murder; they are in custody to be interviewed and are expected to be bailed and returned to prison while inquiries continue. Watkins, 48, was serving a 29-year sentence with additional licence years for multiple child sex offences from convictions in 2013. Investigators say extensive enquiries are ongoing, and Watkins had previously been attacked at the same prison in August 2023, raising concerns about safety at the high-security jail.