Axel Rudakubana is charged with assaulting prison staff at HMP Belmarsh

By RORY TINGLE, HOME AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT Published: 10:57, 31 July 2026 | Updated: 11:30, 31 July 2026 Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been charged with multiple assaults on prison officers at HMP Belmarsh. The 19-year-old was charged on Tuesday over the three separate alleged attacks in 2025, the Metropolitan Police said today. In May last year, it was alleged he used a kettle in his cell to heat water up and then poured boiling water over a prison officer. Other guards heard their colleague's screams and restrained Rudakubana following the attack, it is alleged.  The prison officer was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure and was discharged later that day before returning to work. He was jailed in January 2025 for a minimum of 52 years for the murders of Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and the attempted murders of eight other children, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes. Last week the Ministry of Justice confirmed that he was transferred from prison to Broadmoor psychiatric hospital.  Axel Rudakubana was charged on Tuesday over the three separate alleged attacks in 2025 In May last year, it was alleged he used a kettle in his cell to heat water up and then poured boiling water over a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh  (L-R) Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were all murdered in the atrocity on July 29, 2024 On Friday, the Metropolitan Police said he had been charged with assaulting an emergency worker on May 6, 2025, attempted grievous bodily harm on May 8, 2025, possession of an offensive weapon in prison on June 26, 2025, and assault on an emergency worker on October 28, 2025.  Rudakubana had been locked up on the same secure unit as Manchester Arena terrorist, Hashem Abedi, who allegedly assaulted prison guards in HMP Frankland last Aprill.  The Prison Service said at the time of the incident allegedly using a kettle: '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 for attacks on our hard-working staff.' He will appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court via videolink on September 11. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.