Man expected to deny murdering singer - court

A man charged with murdering disgraced Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins in prison refused to leave his cell for the latest court hearing but is expected to deny the offence.

Rashid Gedel, 25, was due to appear for a case management hearing at Leeds Crown Court via a prison video link earlier, but Judge Guy Kearl KC was told by a prison officer that he had refused to join the hearing over the link.

Peter Moulson KC, defending, said he understood that Gedel wanted to appear in court in person and that "a not guilty plea will be entered in due course".

Gedel and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, are charged with murdering Watkins, 48, at the maximum security HMP Wakefield on 11 October.

Dodsworth pleaded not guilty at a previous hearing and a trial date of 2 May has been set.

Judge Kearl, the Recorder of Leeds, said Gedel, referred to as Rico Gedel during Monday's proceedings, would be brought from prison to formally enter his plea on 9 February.

Welsh singer Watkins was serving a 29-year sentence at HMP Wakefield for child sex offences.

He had risen to fame in the 2000s with Lostprophets, who achieved 11 top 40 UK hits and a chart-topping album.

But in December 2013, he was jailed for a string of child sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.

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