Two more men have been arrested in connection with the death of former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins in prison.
The paedophile rock star was serving a 29-year sentence at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire for child sex offences when he died earlier this month.
West Yorkshire Police has today confirmed two more men, aged 23 and 39, have been arrested from the jail on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.
The force said the pair are in police custody and will be interviewed over the course of today.
The suspects will then be bailed and returned to prison while enquiries continue.
Last week, Rashid Gedel, 25, who was referred to as Rico Gedel in court, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were charged with Watkins' murder.
West Yorkshire Police Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle, said: "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."
Ian Watkins died in prison earlier this month while serving a 29-year sentence
|PA/SOUTH WALES POLICE
Gedel and Dodsworth appeared in court last week but were not asked to enter pleas.
Dodsworth appeared via video link from HMP Wakefield, but Leeds Crown Court heard Gedel had refused to attend remotely as he wanted to appear in person.
Judge Guy Kearl, the Recorder of Leeds, set a provisional date of May 5 for the trial, which is expected to take two to three weeks.
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.
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Samuel Dodsworth appeared via video link from HMP Wakefield charged with Watkins' murder
| PAThe disgraced singer was arrested following the execution of a drugs warrant at his Pontypridd home on September 21, 2012, which saw a large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices seized.
Analysis of the equipment uncovered Watkins’ depraved behaviour.
The 48-year-old was previously taken to hospital after being attacked in 2023.
At the time, police said his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
In 2019, he was jailed for 10 months on top of the sentence he was serving for child sex offences after he was found guilty of possessing a mobile phone in prison.
Ian Watkins, pictured in 2011, was the frontman of rock group Lostprophets | GETTYMr Watkins claimed two inmates forced him to hold on to the phone so they could contact women who sent him fan mail in order to use them as a "revenue stream".
In his evidence, the defendant refused to name the men, but said: "You would not want to mess with them."
He also said his fellow inmates were "murderers, mass murderers, rapists, paedophiles, serial killers – the worst of the worst."
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