In a courtroom, it was revealed that the inmate charged with the murder of Ian Watkins, the disgraced lead singer of Lostprophets, reportedly taunted Watkins with the words “have a good night’s sleep, Watkins lad” following the alleged stabbing incident.
During the trial, jurors were presented with body-worn camera footage from HMP Wakefield showing Rico Gedel, aged 25, making the provocative comment as he walked past Watkins’ cell in the prison where Watkins, serving a lengthy sentence for child sexual offenses, was fatally stabbed on October 11 last year.
Witnesses testified that Gedel seemed indifferent and even amused when questioned about the incident, displaying a smug attitude. The court heard that Gedel was escorted back to his own cell by prison officers after the attack, passing by Watkins’ open cell door and making the disturbing remark.
Prior to the fatal attack, Gedel had expressed dissatisfaction with his wing assignment and had allegedly threatened to take drastic action to be moved to segregation. He and another inmate, Samuel Dodsworth, denied charges of murder and possessing a homemade knife in the prison.
Various prison officers shared their accounts of Gedel’s demeanor before and after the incident, highlighting his nonchalant behavior during searches and interactions with the authorities. Despite the severity of the situation, Gedel appeared calm and unbothered, showing little remorse over the events that transpired.
Ian Watkins, convicted in 2013 for a series of sexual offenses, was serving a 29-year sentence at the time of his death. The trial is ongoing as more details unfold in court proceedings.
