Ian Watkins death: Former Lostprophets singer's crimes did not justify his killing, court told

Paedophile singer Ian Watkins's crimes "did not justify his killing in any way", a court has heard.

The former Lostprophets frontman died last October after being stabbed in his cell at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire where he was serving a 29-year sentence for sex offences.

Leeds Crown Court has heard Rico Gedel, 25, stabbed Watkins three times with a makeshift knife. He is alleged to have then passed it to Samuel Dodsworth, 44, who threw it in a bin.

Gedel and Dodsworth, both serving prisoners, deny murder and possessing a knife in prison.

Prosecutors argue both men are guilty of murder because Gedel carried out the attack, and Dodsworth knew it was going to happen and helped him.

In his closing remarks to jurors on Monday, prosecutor Tom Storey KC said Watkins, 48, did "nothing whatsoever to provoke this attack in the time leading up to it".

"However heinous his crimes were, that did not justify his killing in any way," he told the jury, adding that Gedel "made clear to you his hatred of sex offenders".

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Mr Storey alleged that Gedel told Watkins "this is what paedophiles deserve" before attacking him, adding that it was "as clear an indication of his underlying motive as you could hope for".

The court previously heard that Gedel was "somewhat" pleased that the singer was dead, and only felt guilt towards Watkins's victims.

Mr Storey also told the court on Monday that Watkins had no defensive injuries and there was no sign of a struggle in his cell, meaning he had "in all likelihood been taken completely by surprise by this attack".

The prosecutor added that Gedel described Dodsworth as "resourceful" and "someone who could obtain things for you", although Dodsworth said this did not extend to providing a homemade weapon.

Mr Storey told the court that Gedel "has every reason to lie about Dodsworth", who was convicted of raping a woman and "falls into that category of prisoner who Gedel despises".

He also told the court that CCTV of Gedel handing Dodsworth the knife after the attack shows him walking towards Gedel as if he "knew what he was doing" and "was expecting it".

The prosecutor said this contradicted Dodsworth's claim that he was surprised by Gedel and tried to give the knife back.

Watkins 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 trial continues.

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