Paedophile singer Ian Watkins was warned he would have his 'head cracked open' the day before he was killed in a brutal 20-second prison knife attack, a court heard today. But the disgraced former Lostprophets frontman – who had been sent two threatening notes demanding £500 – rejected a guard’s suggestion that he should isolate in his cell, saying: ‘I think I’ll be ok.’
The following day, the 48-year-old - serving a 35-year sentence for a string of horrific child sex offences - was discovered with three slash wounds to his face and neck, with one cut fatally slicing through his jugular vein.
Fellow inmates Rico Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 44, are on trial for his murder at maximum-security HMP Wakefield in October 2025. The moment the depraved former rock star stumbles from his cell bleeding from his wounds after the '20-second prison knife attack' has been shown to the jury at Leeds Crown Court.
He was considered vulnerable behind bars because of the notoriety of his crimes, and because other prisoners believed he had access to money, the court heard today. Prison officer Simon Rothwell said Watkins had been 'bullied for money' and had previously been attacked by inmates who knew his background. He said in a statement: 'People were aware of his history and knew he had money.'
The officer said he kept in contact with Watkins discreetly by in-cell phone so other prisoners would not see staff repeatedly going to his door and make him more of a target. On Friday, October 10, the day before Watkins was killed, Mr Rothwell was told Watkins wanted to speak to him about two letters that were 'quite threatening'.
Mr Rothwell said he went to Watkins’ cell carrying a 'distraction pack' - a colouring-in book - so it would appear to anyone watching that he was merely dropping it off. One note warned: 'Ian, you’ve got till Saturday to pay for my hi-fi, lamp and fan. If you don’t pay by then, I promise you I will get your head cracked open, you snitch. Give a number so my boy can message your people to get my bank details to put in £500. If it’s not done by Saturday, you will see what will happen to you. Don’t f*** about now, this is your last chance now.'
A second note read: 'Ian, you snitch, you got me kicked off the wing. You think you got away with it. You got my hi-fi, fan and lamp took away from me. So you owe me a hi-fi, fan and lamp. You pay me £500 or you buy me a big hi-fi, fan and lamp on the wing. If I don’t get answers from you by tomorrow or you snitch again, I will get you f***ed up.'
The officer said he advised Watkins to ‘self-isolate in his own cell for the weekend’, but that the ex-singer responded: ‘No, I think I'll be ok.' Instead extra patrols and checks were recommended. That evening, Gedel was 'entirely coincidentally' placed in a cell directly next door, having been moved from a different wing, jurors have been told.
In the moments after he allegedly carried out the attack, Watkins initially said he was ‘fine’, prison officer Richard Swallows told the court. But a nurse who saw his injury was ‘quite shocked and made a screeching noise’, he added. 'At that point I believe Mr Watkins realised what had happened, and that is when he deteriorated even further. He fell back onto his bed and was gargling.'
Watkins was declared dead on the prison landing less than an hour following the 9.19am attack. Jurors had been told that Watkins’ convictions for child sex offences meant he was a constant target for other prisoners, some of whom believed jail was 'too good' for him.
Jurors have been told Gedel is expected to admit killing Watkins but will claim he lost his self-control. Dodsworth denies knowing about the attack in advance and denies helping to plan or carry it out. The trial continues.
