Southport killer charged with assaults on prison staff at Belmarsh

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been charged with three assaults on staff at Belmarsh prison in England.

Rudakubana, now 19, was given a life sentence for the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Bebe King, six; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults in the seaside town of Southport in the north-west of England.

This week marked two years since he carried out the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 2024.

On Friday, the Metropolitan Police said he had been charged with assaulting an emergency worker on May 6 2025, attempted grievous bodily harm on May 8 2025, possession of an offensive weapon in prison on June 26 2025, and assault on an emergency worker on October 28 2025.

In May last year it was alleged that Rudakubana poured boiling water from a kettle over a prison officer.

Last week the Ministry of Justice confirmed that he was transferred from prison to Broadmoor psychiatric hospital.

The Metropolitan Police said Rudakubana was charged on Tuesday and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via videolink on Friday September 11.

Offenders who present an increased risk and cannot be managed safely in a prison environment because of mental disorders can be moved to secure psychiatric units.

People in these units are treated as patients rather than prisoners.

Broadmoor, in Berkshire, is the oldest of the UK’s three high-security hospitals and has held some of the UK’s most high-profile criminals, including Ronnie Kray and serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, also known as the Yorkshire Ripper.

Under the Mental Health Act, officials acting for the Justice Secretary have no choice but to accept the advice of clinical professionals to transfer prisoners to a secure facility.

An offender in a secure hospital will be compelled to engage with treatment and to undertake therapies before any return to prison or release into the community.

Where offenders no longer require treatment in hospital, the Act allows a swift return to prison.