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Southport killer Axel Rudakubana charged with prison assaults

Axel Rudakubana, who murdered three girls in Southport in 2024, has been charged with four offences at HMP Belmarsh, including assaults on emergency workers and possessing an offensive weapon. The charges add a new chapter to the case, which has also led to a public inquiry.

TakeTack Desk 2 hr ago AI-assisted · Human reviewed
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana charged with prison assaults

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana charged with prison assaults

The short answer

Axel Rudakubana is the 19-year-old who, on 29 July 2024, attacked a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, north-west England, killing three girls — Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9 — and injuring 10 other people. He was 17 at the time. After admitting to the murders, he was sentenced in January 2025 to a minimum of 52 years in prison; a whole life order was not possible because he was under 18. Rudakubana was held at HMP Belmarsh, where police say he committed four offences between May and October 2025: two assaults on emergency workers, an attempted grievous bodily harm, and unauthorised possession of an offensive weapon. The Metropolitan Police announced the charges on Friday. According to the BBC, it was reported in May 2025 that a prison officer at Belmarsh had boiling water thrown on them and was hospitalised but discharged the same day. Rudakubana was transferred to Broadmoor high-security psychiatric hospital in July — a decision the victims' families described as an attempt to 'manipulate the system,' The Guardian reported. The BBC noted the Ministry of Justice likely had no choice but to accept doctors' recommendations under the Mental Health Act. He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 11 September via video link. The charges are the latest development in a case that has also prompted a public inquiry into failings around the attack.

Why it's trending

Interest spiked after the Metropolitan Police announced the new charges on 31 July, marking the first public update on Rudakubana's behaviour in custody. The news also draws renewed attention to the ongoing Southport Inquiry, which the BBC links to in its coverage, as the public seeks accountability beyond the criminal sentence.

Axel Rudakubana, the teenager serving a 52-year minimum sentence for the July 2024 Southport murders, has been charged with four offences at HMP Belmarsh, including assaults on emergency workers and possessing an offensive weapon in prison, police said. The charges relate to incidents between May and October 2025, according to the BBC and the Metropolitan police.

Both BBC and The Guardian report the charges, though they emphasize different elements. The Guardian notes that the families of the three girls criticized Rudakubana's recent transfer to Broadmoor as an attempt to 'manipulate the system.' The BBC adds that the Ministry of Justice likely had no choice but to accept doctors' recommendations under the Mental Health Act, and that a lawyer for the families criticized the decision.

The original attack on 29 July 2024 killed three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Rudakubana admitted to the killings and was sentenced in January 2025. He was initially held at HMP Belmarsh, and in May 2025 the BBC reported that boiling water was thrown on a prison officer during an incident. The new charges are the first public detail of alleged violence while in custody.

The case has wider resonance beyond the criminal proceedings. The BBC's coverage includes a link to a Southport Inquiry examining failings around the attack. Rudakubana's transfer to Broadmoor raises questions about how dangerous individuals are managed in the justice and mental-health systems. He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court remotely on 11 September.

Timeline

  1. Southport attack

    Rudakubana, then 17, killed three girls and injured 10 others at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport (BBC, Guardian).

  2. Sentenced to 52 years

    Rudakubana admitted to the murders and was given a minimum 52-year sentence; a whole life order was not available due to his age (BBC).

  3. First alleged assault

    Charged with assault on an emergency worker at HMP Belmarsh (BBC, Guardian).

  4. Attempted GBH

    Charged with attempted grievous bodily harm (BBC, Guardian).

  5. Weapon possession

    Charged with unauthorised possession of an offensive weapon in prison (BBC).

  6. Second assault

    Charged with another assault on an emergency worker (BBC).

  7. Transfer to Broadmoor

    Ministry of Justice confirmed Rudakubana was moved from Belmarsh to Broadmoor high-security psychiatric hospital (BBC).

  8. Court appearance

    Rudakubana is due to appear remotely at Westminster Magistrates' Court (BBC, Guardian).

Questions people ask

Who is Axel Rudakubana?

He is the teenager who, in July 2024, murdered three girls and injured 10 other people at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, England. He was 17 at the time and is now 19 (BBC, Guardian).

Why didn't he get a whole life order?

The judge was unable to impose a whole life order because Rudakubana was under 18 when he committed the murders. He was instead given a 52-year minimum sentence and will likely never be released (BBC).

Why was he moved to a psychiatric hospital?

The Ministry of Justice confirmed he was transferred to Broadmoor after doctors concluded he could not be managed safely in prison. Under the Mental Health Act, the MoJ likely had no choice but to accept the medical recommendation (BBC). The families of the victims said the move was an attempt to 'manipulate the system' (Guardian).

What is the Southport Inquiry?

The BBC's coverage references a separate Southport Inquiry into failings exposed by the attack, but the provided articles do not contain details. It is part of the broader public reckoning over the case.

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