A jury tasked with hearing the murder trial of two men accused of killing former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins in prison has been discharged. Rico Gedel and Samuel Dodsworth had been on trial at Leeds Crown Court in connection with Watkins' death, which occurred in December 2023.
Watkins, 46, was found dead at HMP Wakefield, a high-security prison in West Yorkshire. His death prompted an investigation, leading to murder charges being brought against Gedel and Dodsworth. The specifics of the circumstances surrounding the jury's discharge have not been publicly detailed at this stage.
Ian Watkins rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Welsh rock band Lostprophets, achieving significant commercial success in the early 2000s. However, his career ended abruptly and controversially when he was convicted of child sex offences in 2013. He was subsequently sentenced to 29 years in prison, with an extended licence period of six years.
The trial at Leeds Crown Court had been examining the allegations against Gedel and Dodsworth, who were both inmates at HMP Wakefield at the time of Watkins' death. The discharge of a jury can occur for various reasons, including legal complexities, unforeseen procedural issues, or the inability of the jury to reach a verdict within a reasonable timeframe.
The development leaves the future of the prosecution against Gedel and Dodsworth uncertain. Decisions will now need to be made by the prosecution regarding the next steps, which could include seeking a retrial with a new jury or reviewing the case in light of the discharge.