Man accused of killing Lostprophets paedophile Ian Watkins 'refuses' to attend court
The defendant was due to appear in court via videolink on Tuesday
A man accused of murdering Lostprophets paedophile Ian Watkins has refused to appear in court.
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Rico Gedel, 25, otherwise known by the first name Rashid, was due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday, alongside co-defendant Samuel Dodsworth, 43.
The pair were due to appear separately via videolink, however, the court was told how Gedel 'refused' to appear.
The pair were charged on Monday, with West Yorkshire police confirming that two men aged 43 and 25 had been charged with his murder.
Addressing the judgey, Tom Storey, KC, prosecuting, said: "The reason for Gedel's non-appearance this morning is said to be a refusal on his part to attend by link because it appears he wanted to attend in person."
Police said: "Detectives have charged two men with murder after the death of a prisoner at HMP Wakefield on Saturday.
"Ian Watkins aged 48 was pronounced dead after being seriously assaulted at HMP Wakefield on Saturday morning (11 October).
"Rashid Gedel aged 25 who self defines as any other black background and Samuel Dodsworth aged 43 who self defines as white British both of HMP Wakefield have both been charged with murder.
"They are due to appear at Leeds Magistrates Court this morning."
The former Lostprophets frontman was found severely injured in his cell on Saturday but could not be saved, with medics pronouncing him dead at the scene.
Watkins was killed after being stabbed in the neck after inmates were allowed to leave their cells on Saturday morning.
He was being held on a wing housing general population rather than holding just sex offenders.
A source told The Sun: "Watkins was known for paying for his security in jail. He was getting rinsed.
“Someone would threaten him and he’d pay up.
The killer had approached him and said 'Give me money and I’ll protect you.'
"No one's clear why he then turned on him — and slit his neck.
"Watkins was getting no special protection on a wing with killers, gangsters and drug dealers.
"It put him in extreme danger and it was as if he knew his time was up."
A prison spokesperson previously confirmed they would make no further comment during the police investigation.
Watkins was jailed in 2013 for a series of child sex crimes, including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby daughter.
He admitted two attempted rapes, sexually assaulting a child under 13, aiding and abetting the sexual assault of a child under 13, conspiring to rape a child under 13 and conspiring to sexually assault another child under 13.
He had also pleaded guilty to six counts of taking and possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing extreme pornographic images.
He had previously been stabbed at the prison in 2023, with reports at the time saying he had been taken hostage by three other inmates.