Two more men have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder in the wake former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins‘ death by stabbing earlier this month.
According to a report from Blabbermouth, two unnamed suspects, aged 23 and 39, were arrested at the same high-security prison – His Majesty’s Prison Wakefield, a Category A men’s prison in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England – where Watkins was killed on October 11. They remain in police custody and are expected to be interviewed throughout the day. According to police, both men will be bailed and returned to prison while the investigation continues.
The arrests follow charges last week against two other men — Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43 — who now stand accused of the murder. Both are on remand awaiting trial.
Watkins, 48, was serving a 29-year sentence for a series of child sex offences when he was attacked. Reports claim his throat was slashed after prisoners were unlocked from their cells, with a source telling The Sun: “[Ian] was targeted by another inmate who shanked him in the neck. Guards were nearby and raced to the scene pretty quickly — but there was nothing they could do, and they could not save him.
“It was a horrific scene, with blood everywhere and alarms and sirens going off. Police and ambulances were called and the whole prison was locked down with all cons confined to their cells.”
Watkins said to have died from blood loss after his jugular was severed. The prison went into full lockdown following the incident. So did the outside world, but that’s because we were all too thrilled to move from wherever we were sitting now that that piece of human trash had been removed from the Earth.
Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle, who is leading the murder investigation, confirmed: “Extensive enquiries remain ongoing in relation to the murder of Ian Watkins and these arrests form part of that. Ian Watkins‘ family are being updated as the investigation progresses. However, we do not anticipate any immediate developments at this stage.”
This was not Watkins‘ first brush with prison violence. In 2023, he reportedly survived another attack at HMP Wakefield after being taken hostage by fellow inmates for six hours.
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