Southport killer faces trial for alleged prison attacks

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana is due to face trial next year after he is alleged to have thrown boiling water mixed with sugar at a prison officer.

Rudakubana, who is serving a life sentence for the murders of three young girls in 2024, appeared via videolink at the Old Bailey on Monday where he spoke only to confirm his name.

He has been charged with attempted grievous bodily harm of a prison officer, two other assaults of officers and possession of a knife or other offensive weapon across separate dates last year at HMP Belmarsh, south London.

Rudakubana was not asked to enter any pleas and a preliminary hearing has been set for 5 February, with a provisional trial date of 8 October 2027.

Rudakubana, 20, is serving a life sentence for the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on 29 July 2024.

On 8 May last year, it is alleged he threw hot water through a hatch in his prison cell door.

It is further alleged that two days before, on 6 May, Rudakubana threatened to “soak” a female officer outside his cell if she did not pass him a newspaper and then threw liquid at her.

Rudakubana also allegedly punched a male officer on 28 October.

The offensive weapon charge relates to sharpened stone shards that the prosecution say had seemingly been prised from the floor of the defendant’s cell.

In July, he was moved from HMP Belmarsh, where the attacks allegedly took place, to Broadmoor high-security psychiatric hospital.