Viral Voice Note Sparks Rumours
A voice note claiming Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was attacked by inmates in Strangeways prison has gone viral on social media — but the Ministry of Justice has slammed the report as false.
What’s the Real Story?
The viral clip, shared on X from an anti-immigration account, alleges two prisoners were allowed into Rudakubana’s cell and “absolutely smashed him to pieces”. The 18-year-old was jailed for life last Thursday for the brutal attack that claimed three young girls’ lives during a Taylor Swift-themed class last July.
However, sources confirm Rudakubana is currently held in a segregation unit at HMP Belmarsh, a high-security prison in south-east London. There are fears for his safety among the wider prison population. The Ministry of Justice says the voice note’s claims are untrue and there is no evidence he was attacked.
Why Is Rudakubana in Belmarsh?
Belmarsh is designed to hold the most dangerous offenders. Rudakubana is under assessment by the prison service to decide his future placement. The child killer’s status puts him at the bottom of the prison hierarchy and he faces a significant threat from other inmates, according to former prison governor Ian Acheson.
“The threat Rudakubana poses to others is probably unquantifiable. The threat he is subject to will be extremely high. Child killers are at the bottom of the prison hierarchy.”
Notorious Crimes and Sentencing
Rudakubana was sentenced not only for the murder of three children but also for the attempted murder of 10 others. Additional charges include possession of a knife in a public place, producing a biological toxin, and possession of a PDF titled ‘Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual’.
