Two more men arrested over death of former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins

Two more men have been arrested in connection with the death of former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins at HMP Wakefield, police have said.

Disgraced rock star Watkins, 48, who was serving a 29-year sentence for child sexual offences, died after an alleged attack at the West Yorkshire jail on October 11.

Rashid Gedel, 25, who was referred to as Rico Gedel in court, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, have been charged with murder.

On Tuesday, West Yorkshire Police said two more men from the prison had been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

The force said the men, aged 23 and 39, would be interviewed over the course of the day.

They will then be bailed and returned to prison while inquiries continue.

Emergency services were sent to the prison on October 11 but Watkins was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gedel and Dodsworth appeared in court last week charged with murder but were not asked to enter pleas.

Dodsworth appeared via video link from HMP Wakefield but Leeds Crown Court heard Gedel had refused to attend remotely as he wanted to appear in person.

Judge Guy Kearl, the Recorder of Leeds, set a provisional date of May 5 for the trial, which is expected to take two to three weeks.

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

The disgraced singer was arrested following the execution of a drugs warrant at his Pontypridd home on September 21 2012 when a large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices were seized.

Analysis of the equipment uncovered Watkins’ depraved behaviour.

Watkins was previously taken to hospital after being attacked in 2023.

At the time, police said his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

A source told the Mirror he had been taken hostage by three other inmates.

And in 2019 he was jailed for 10 months on top of the sentence he was serving for child sex offences after he was found guilty of possessing a mobile phone in prison.