A prisoner accused of murdering former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins allegedly joked with prison officers moments after the fatal attack, telling them they “could be talking to someone famous,” a court has heard. Jurors at Leeds Crown Court were told that 25-year-old Rico Gedel carried out the stabbing inside Watkins’ cell at HMP Wakefield on 11 October. Watkins, who had been serving a 29-year sentence for child sexual abuse offences, suffered fatal injuries to his head and neck during the attack.

Prosecutor Tom Storey KC told the court that Gedel used a homemade weapon during the assault, which lasted around 20 seconds. Another inmate, 44-year-old Samuel Dodsworth, allegedly acted as a lookout before later disposing of the makeshift knife after Gedel handed it to him.

Both defendants deny charges of murder and possession of an improvised weapon inside prison.

According to the prosecution, the attack happened shortly after prison staff unlocked cells on B wing that morning. Gedel had reportedly left his own cell while Watkins remained inside his. CCTV footage shown to jurors allegedly captured Gedel entering Watkins’ cell shortly before 9.20am and leaving roughly 20 seconds later.

Storey told the court prosecutors believe Gedel waited until officers on the landing were out of sight before launching what they described as a planned attack.

Footage then allegedly showed Gedel walking toward Dodsworth and passing him an object, which Dodsworth briefly examined before placing into the pocket of his jogging bottoms.

Moments later, Watkins was seen emerging from his cell bleeding heavily from his neck. Two maintenance workers inside the prison reportedly noticed blood pouring onto his shirt as he clutched his wound and immediately alerted staff.

Prison officers rushed to the scene, with one attempting to stem the bleeding by pressing a towel against what was described in court as a “particularly large wound” to Watkins’ neck while calling for emergency medical assistance.

Despite efforts from paramedics, Watkins lost consciousness and was pronounced dead shortly before 10.15am.

The court heard that when officers asked Watkins who had attacked him while they tried to save his life, he responded with words “to the effect of ‘that little black fella.’”

Storey said Watkins had been regarded as a “particularly notorious and high-profile” inmate within the prison system and had previously received threats from other prisoners, including in the days leading up to his death.

The prosecutor also told jurors that prison officers described Gedel as unusually upbeat after the incident. As he was escorted past the area where Watkins was being treated, Gedel allegedly remarked, “Have a good night’s sleep, Watkins lad.”

Following his arrest, Gedel allegedly told police he resented sex offenders receiving what he viewed as favourable treatment inside prison. The court heard he described such inmates as being “treated like royalty” and said he found it “disgusting” to share a wing with them at HMP Wakefield, a prison sometimes nicknamed “Monster Mansion” because of the number of notorious offenders held there.

Jurors were also told Gedel had only been moved onto the same wing as Watkins and Dodsworth the day before the killing and had “coincidentally” been placed in the neighbouring cell. In 2018, Dodsworth was sentenced to 24 years in prison for after snatching a woman off the street and raping her five times. Gedel was jailed for a minimum term of 27 years for the murder of aspiring lawyer Sven Badzak, 22 in 2023.

The trial is ongoing.