Southport killer Axel Rudakubana’s life of ‘hell’ in Belmarsh | UK | News
Aexel Rudakubana, the knife-obsessed teenager behind the murder of three schoolgirls at a dance class in Southport, faces a minimum sentence of 52 years and is set to spend his first Christmas in prison. A former prisoner who was jailed with him told The Sun the attacker now faces “hell” behind bars.
The 18-year-old, who cannot be released until he turns 70, is expected to remain in isolation at HMP Belmarsh throughout his sentence.
Left after attack on police
Rudakubana was moved to an isolation cell earlier this year after a prison officer threw boiling water from a kettle on him.
He now faces so many threats from inmates that he has been placed alone in a cell with only a mattress and a frame in a Category A facility.
The former prisoner, who was released in the summer, said: “I know there is sometimes a perception that prison is comfortable.
“But trust me, that’s not the case at Belmarsh. There’s no mercy shown to him in prison.”
“He is at risk every day and it was incredibly stupid to ‘boil’ the screw so early in his sentence. I wouldn’t be surprised if he spends the rest of his sentence in solitary confinement.”
“All the inmates hate him and the prison officers won’t be happy with him either because he attacked one of them.”
Attack on police within the scope of investigation
British-born Rudakubana was under investigation for injuring a surveillance officer by throwing boiling water on the cell door in May.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the investigation was ongoing.
Rudakubana was just 17 when he murdered seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, nine-year-old Alice Aguiar and six-year-old Bebe King at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29, 2024. He also attacked eight boys who tried to disarm him, trainer Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.
The teenager was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to a minimum of 52 years in prison for three murders, ten attempted murders and additional charges of producing ricin, possessing terrorist material and possessing a knife.
The former prisoner told The Sun that Rudakubana was moved to the Emergency Suite near the medical unit, known to inmates as “Broadmarsh”. The suite previously included Soham killer Ian Huntley, preacher Anjem Choudary and activist Tommy Robinson.
‘He’s just in a box’
The unit is the only one of its kind in the UK, keeping prisoners in complete isolation for their own safety and that of staff. It has its own exercise yard and private visiting room.
Our source said: “The unit is near the medical area and has only a few cells. A guard sits outside 24 hours a day and checks on the prisoner every 30 minutes, including at night.
“Only the Governor and a prison officer have the key.
“Rudakubana will have nothing to help him pass the time and after attacking a prison officer he will be treated as even more dangerous and will receive no privileges.
“It has nothing. It’s just in a box.”
“I know a guy there who spent 15 years in the ‘seg’ for doing something similar.
“He won’t get rid of the prison guards easily; some of them are veterans and they know how to handle themselves and sometimes they can decide to be jerks to people.
“Some people think prisons are cushy, but Belmarsh is not one of them. Rudakubana is going to have a really miserable life inside.”
