Southport killer Axel Rudakubana charged with multiple assaults on prison staff

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been charged with multiple assaults on prison staff at HMP Belmarsh.

The 19-year-old was charged on Tuesday over the three separate alleged attacks in 2025, the Metropolitan Police said.

They charges include:

• Assault on an emergency worker on 6 May, 2025;
• Attempted grievous bodily harm on 8 May, 2025;
• Unauthorised possession of an offensive weapon in prison on 26 June, 2025;
• Assault on an emergency worker on 28 October, 2025.

He was charged on Tuesday, 28 July, and will appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court via videolink on Friday, 11 September.

In May last year, it was alleged he used a kettle in his cell to heat water up and then poured boiling water over a prison officer.

He was jailed for a minimum of 52 years for the murders of three girls and attempted murders of eight other children, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes at a ‌Taylor Swift-themed dance event.

This week marked two years since he carried out the attack on 29 July 2024.

Rudakubana was recently moved from ⁠prison to the Broadmoor top ​security psychiatric hospital, which was described ​by the three girls' families as an attempt to "manipulate the system".

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.

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

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.

(c) Sky News 2026: Southport killer Axel Rudakubana charged with multiple assaults on prison staff