An inmate accused of murdering disgraced rock star Ian Watkins allegedly appeared "smug" and "smirking" in the aftermath of the killing, a court has heard.
Rico Gedel, 25, is currently on trial at Leeds Crown Court over Watkins' death inside HM Prison Wakefield in the United Kingdom.
Watkins, the former frontman of Lostprophets, rose to fame during the 2000s before later being convicted on multiple child sex offences.
Rock Star Killed as Court Hears Disturbing Prison Details
Watkins had been serving a 29-year prison sentence, plus an additional six years on licence, after his 2013 conviction.
The 48-year-old died on October 11, 2025, after suffering stab wounds to the neck inside the prison.
Officials pronounced him dead at the scene.
According to Dedicated Search Team officer Patrick Wilson, staff searched Gedel's cell following the attack. The defendant allegedly laughed and said, "I used my hands."
Body camera footage also reportedly captured Gedel telling Watkins to "have a good night's sleep, Watkins lad."
Surveillance footage allegedly showed Gedel calmly walking away from the prison cell. Watkins later emerged clutching his neck.
Trial Hears Suspect Allegedly Wanted Move to Segregation
The court also heard that Gedel had become frustrated about being transferred to a different prison wing the day before the fatal incident.
It is claimed he previously threatened to "do something to get moved to segregation."
"(Gedel) didn't want to move wings," prison officer Adam Laycock said in a statement. "He had mentioned a number of times that if he was moved he would do something."
"I knew Gedel would rather go to segregation than be moved to somewhere he didn't want to be."
Following the incident, authorities transferred Gedel to HMP Long Lartin.
An officer there reportedly told the court that Gedel appeared "proud of what had happened" and claimed he "felt like a celebrity."
Prosecutors described the alleged weapon as a Stanley knife attached to plastic cutlery using large amounts of tape.
The court heard that Gedel allegedly passed the weapon to Samuel Dodsworth, 44, who later disposed of it in prison garbage before officers recovered it.
"If you're a grass, you're going to get cut up for it... when you're in prison you look after yourself," Dodsworth told officers, via ITVX. "Prison is a dog-eat-dog world in there and I have to put my own safety first."
"I panicked and wrapped it in a tissue, and saw the bin and threw it in."
Both Gedel and Dodsworth deny murder and possession of a makeshift weapon inside prison.
The trial remains ongoing.
