The murder trial of two prisoners accused of killing former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins has ended abruptly after the jury was discharged for legal reasons at Leeds Crown Court, forcing the case to be restarted.
Watkins, who was serving a 29-year sentence for serious child sexual offences, was stabbed to death on October 11, 2025, inside HMP Wakefield. Prosecutors allege the attack was carried out using a makeshift blade during a prison cell incident.
Two inmates — Rico Gedel (25) and Samuel Dodsworth (44) — are charged with murder and possession of a prison-made weapon. The prosecution case claims Gedel carried out the stabbing while Dodsworth allegedly disposed of the weapon after the attack.
Both defendants deny the charges and have contested the allegations throughout proceedings. The trial, held at Leeds Crown Court, had been ongoing for around two weeks before the sudden disruption.
On Friday, the presiding judge, Mr Justice Hilliard, told the jury: “Very reluctantly, I’m going to discharge you and the case will have to be re-tried.”
The decision brings the current proceedings to an immediate halt, with the entire case now set to begin again from scratch. Court officials confirmed that a retrial has been scheduled for February 8, 2027, meaning the legal process surrounding the high-profile prison killing will continue well into the next year.
During earlier hearings, jurors had been told details of the alleged prison attack, including claims that Watkins was targeted inside his cell and that a homemade weapon was used in the fatal assault.
The case has drawn significant attention due to Watkins’ background as a former frontman of Lostprophets, as well as the nature of his original conviction and imprisonment. However, the court has repeatedly stressed that the murder trial must focus strictly on the evidence relating to the prison killing itself.
With the jury now discharged and legal proceedings reset, the case returns to square one — prolonging an already complex and closely watched legal process.
