Prisoner who killed Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins feels guilt for paedophile's victims, court hears

The prisoner who killed Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has said that he only feels guilt towards the paedophile's victims.

Rico Gedel, 25, attacked the singer in his cell at HMP Wakefield on 11 October last year, slashing him three times, Leeds Crown Court has heard.

The already-convicted murderer told jurors that his only regret was that Watkins' victims may not have wanted him dead.

He insisted he attacked Watkins so he could be moved from a wing with sex offenders, and did not intend to kill.

Gedel has claimed co-accused Samuel Dodsworth, 44, handed him a makeshift knife before to the attack.

The pair both deny murder and possession of the blade in prison.

On Thursday, he said he was "somewhat" pleased that the singer was dead.

Asked by Richard Wright KC, defending Dodsowrth, if he would lose sleep over it, he replied: "No, not really.

"The only guilt I would feel about this is how his victims felt.

"I know from my own experiences, with friends and family being sexually assaulted, I don't know if they would have wanted that [his death].

"But that's my only guilt."

Jurors were later shown body-worn footage of Gedel smiling as guards held him back, while other officers tried to save Watkins' life.

"Hopefully he goes to sleep," Gedel could be heard saying in the footage.

Gedel told jurors after: "There was part of me that wanted him to die, there was another part of me that didn't want him to die.

"That was a bad concoction."

Later, Dodsworth gave evidence and insisted he had no part in planning an attack on Watkins.

The court was shown footage of Gedel handing him the knife after stabbing Watkins.

He denied plotting to kill Watkins, and Dodsworth told jurors he himself was a sex offender.

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"I'm not going to kill another sex offender," he said.

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 jury was sent away to return on Monday morning.

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