Triple murderer Axel Rudakubana, jailed for life over the brutal stabbing of three young girls in Southport last year, has launched a pre-planned attack on a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh — throwing boiling water over the guard in a shocking act of violence.
The 18-year-old, who is currently serving a 52-year minimum term for the murders of Bebe King (6), Elsie Stancombe (7), and Alice da Silva Aguiar (9), carried out the scalding assault from a landing inside the high-security southeast London facility on Thursday, 8 May.
Attack Details and Investigation
It is feared that the water may have been intended to be mixed with sugar — a known tactic to make burns more severe — though it is understood this was not the case in this incident.
The targeted officer was rushed to hospital but discharged later that day and is expected to return to duty next week.
A prison source described the event as a “pre-meditated ambush,” and noted that Rudakubana’s privileges will now be severely restricted.
“He is clearly not rehabilitated and has nothing to lose,” the source said.
Justice Secretary Under Pressure
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick condemned the incident as the “third major security failure” in a UK high-security prison in recent weeks.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Jenrick said:
“warning after warning has been ignored. This is a full-blown crisis. The Justice Secretary needs to act now.”
He added in a follow-up post:
“It’s reported that deranged killers still have access to kettles. My thoughts are with the officer. The safety of our prison staff must come first.”
Security Concerns and Context
Rudakubana is held on the same secure unit as Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi, who recently assaulted prison officers at HMP Frankland. The incident reignites debate over prisoner access to boiling water and whether violent offenders should have any proximity to such items in Close Supervision Centres.
The Prison Service confirmed the incident:
“Police are investigating an attack on a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh. Violence in prison will not be tolerated, and we will always push for the strongest possible punishment.”
Background: Southport Tragedy
Rudakubana was sentenced earlier this year after he launched a knife attack at a children’s Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July 2024. The horrific killings shook the nation and prompted widespread tributes for the young victims.
