Police investigating murder of paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins make further arrests | UK News

Two more men have been arrested over the death of paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins.

Watkins, 48, was serving a 29-year jail term for multiple sexual offences, including serious crimes against young children and babies at HMP Wakefield, in West Yorkshire.

He was attacked in prison with a knife earlier this month, sources confirmed.

The two men, aged 23 and 39, have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and are in police custody.

Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team said: “Extensive enquiries remain ongoing in relation to the murder of Ian Watkins and these arrests form part of that.

“Ian Watkins’ family are being updated as the investigation progresses. However, we do not anticipate any immediate developments at this stage.”

Last week, Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were charged with murder in relation to the incident.

No bail applications were made at Leeds Crown Court, and both men were remanded in custody until their next appearance for a plea and trial preparation hearing on 12 November.

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

Watkins was jailed for 29 years in December 2013 with a further six years on licence after admitting a string of sex offences.

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

Analysis of the equipment uncovered his depraved behaviour.

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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.

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.

Watkins claimed two inmates forced him to hold on to the phone so they could contact women who sent him fan mail in order to use them as a “revenue stream”.

In 2014, Watkins was told he could not appeal against the length of his sentence.