Two more serving prisoners have been arrested over the killing of paedophile Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins.
The disgraced rock singer, 48, died at HMP Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on Saturday, October 11, where he was serving nearly three decades over a series of horrific child sex offences.
It is alleged his throat was slashed at the maximum-security prison, with two prisoners already charged with his murder.
West Yorkshire Police today confirmed that two more men were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to murder.
The suspects, aged 23 and 39, are both in police custody and will be interviewed over the course of today.
They will then be bailed and returned to prison while enquiries continue.
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.’
Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins (pictured) was murdered in jail where he was serving 29 years for child sex offences
Forensic officers are pictured outside HMP Wakefield following Watkins’s death
Rico Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, appeared in court last week charged with murdering Watkins.
Neither suspect entered or indicated pleas and a provisional two to three week trial date was fixed for May 5 next year.
A plea and trial preparation hearing will be held on November 12.
Since Watkins’ murder, more details have emerged about his time behind bars, including the singer’s reported use of other inmates as paid protection.
Watkins is said to have had his throat cut after prisoners came out of their cells.
He is believed to have been living on a ‘general’ wing with some of Wakefield’s most dangerous inmates – as opposed to one dedicated to sex offenders.
A source was quoted as saying: ‘It was as if [Watkins] knew his time was up.’
In 2013, Watkins was given 14-year and 15-year consecutive jail terms for engaging in sexual activity with a child and the attempted rape of an 11-month-old baby.
He was also convicted of 11 other offences at Cardiff Crown Court, with those sentences running alongside his 29-year term.
