Axel Rudakubana, the teenager serving a lengthy prison sentence for the Southport murders, has been charged with a series of new offences allegedly committed while in custody at HMP Belmarsh.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the 19-year-old was formally charged on Tuesday in connection with several separate incidents said to have occurred during 2025.
According to investigators, the charges relate to alleged assaults on prison staff, an attempted grievous bodily harm offence, and possession of an offensive weapon inside the high-security prison.
Charges Span Several Months in 2025
Police said Rudakubana now faces four separate criminal allegations.
These include assaulting an emergency worker on May 6, 2025, attempted grievous bodily harm on May 8, possession of an offensive weapon in prison on June 26, and another charge of assaulting an emergency worker on October 28.
The allegations cover incidents that reportedly took place over several months while Rudakubana was being held at HMP Belmarsh, one of the United Kingdom’s most secure prisons.
Officer Allegedly Injured During Boiling Water Attack
One of the most serious allegations stems from an incident in May last year, when Rudakubana is accused of boiling water in a kettle inside his prison cell before throwing it over a prison officer.
Authorities alleged that nearby prison staff rushed to the scene after hearing the officer’s screams and restrained Rudakubana.
The injured officer was taken to hospital as a precaution, later discharged the same day, and subsequently returned to work.
Following the incident, the Prison Service reiterated its stance against violence toward correctional staff, stating that attacks on prison officers would not be tolerated and that authorities would pursue the strongest available legal penalties.
Serving a Minimum of 52 Years for Southport Killings
Rudakubana is currently serving a minimum sentence of 52 years after being convicted in January 2025 for the murders of three young girls during the Southport stabbing attack.
His victims were seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, six-year-old Bebe King, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar.
He was also convicted of attempting to murder eight other children, dance instructor Leanne Lucas, and businessman John Hayes during the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29, 2024.
This week marked the second anniversary of the deadly attack that shocked the United Kingdom.
Belmarsh Placement Drew Additional Attention
Before his recent transfer, Rudakubana had been held in the same secure unit at HMP Belmarsh as convicted Manchester Arena terrorist Hashem Abedi, who himself was accused of assaulting prison officers at HMP Frankland in April 2025.
The placement of two high-profile offenders within the prison system attracted significant public and security attention.
Transfer to Broadmoor Psychiatric Hospital Confirmed
The Ministry of Justice confirmed last week that Rudakubana has been transferred from prison to Broadmoor Hospital, the UK’s oldest high-security psychiatric hospital located in Berkshire.
Under the Mental Health Act, prisoners who develop mental disorders that make them unsuitable for safe management within the prison system can be transferred to secure psychiatric hospitals based on clinical recommendations.
In such facilities, individuals are treated as patients while undergoing compulsory psychiatric care and therapeutic treatment.
Officials explained that if medical professionals later determine an offender no longer requires hospital treatment, the law provides for a return to prison to continue serving their sentence.
Court Appearance Scheduled
Rudakubana is due to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court via videolink on September 11, where he is expected to answer the new charges relating to the alleged incidents at HMP Belmarsh.
