Southport fiend Axel Rudakubana hurled boiling water over prison guard in ‘terrifying' attack putting victim in hospital

The Sun

09-05-2025

SOUTHPORT monster Axel Rudakubana hurled scalding water over a prison officer.
The stricken guard was rushed to hospital after the horror attack while cops were called.
6
A probe is now underway into how Axel Rudakubana got hold of boiling water to hurl over a prison officer.
The 18-year-old triple murderer launched a horrific pre-planned attack on a landing.
He is on the same unit as terrorist Hashem Abedi, who stabbed and burned guards last month.
Rudakubana, serving 52 years for murdering three young girls, poured scalding water over a guard at HMP Belmarsh in South East London on Thursday.
Other officers were alerted by the guard's screams and restrained Rudakubana.
The officer was rushed to hospital while cops were called and the jail locked down.
A source said: 'This is terrifying and shocking in equal measure – and questions will be raised about this attack, especially coming so soon after the one by Abedi.
"One of those will be why Rudakubana had access to boiling or hot water, and how on earth he was able to carry this out.'
It was initially feared Rudakubana mixed it with sugar to cause more severe burns and scarring.
The officer was taken to nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich for treatment.
I came face to face with Southport killer in dance studio during massacre - and carried victims out
Fortunately he escaped severe injuries and was discharged the same day.
The source added: 'It seems miraculous he was not more badly hurt, and luckily the water was not mixed with sugar.
"Other officers heard him screaming and the commotion. One of the first things they did was put cold water on him.
"They also restrained Rudakubana and made sure he could not do anything worse to the guard.
"His regime will now be incredibly strict and he will barely come into contact with anyone and will be fed through a hatch.
"He is clearly not rehabilitated at all, and someone like him has nothing to lose.'
Another source said authorities at Belmarsh will launch their own investigation – and 'make damned sure Rudakubana cannot do anything like this again'.
6
6
6
He was caged for life in January for the murders of Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, at a dance workshop last July.
Manchester Arena bomb plotter Abedi, 28, injured four guards on April 12 at HMP Frankland, Durham.
One nearly died after being slashed in the neck while another was scalded by hot butter.
Abedi was then moved to Belmarsh, but was unable to come into contact with Rudakubana.
The Prison Service said: '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.'
Scotland Yard added: 'The Met is investigating after a prison officer was subject to a serious assault at HMP Belmarsh on the afternoon of Thursday, 8 May.'
It comes just weeks before the trial use of tasers in prisons.
PC Luke Holden, PCSO Timothy Parry and Sgt Gregory Gillespie have been nominated for bravery awards after being first to arrive at the Southport stabbings.
6
Timeline of horror - how the attack unfolded
- 2002: Rudakubana's father Alphonse moves to the UK from Rwanda, according to an interview he gave to his local newspaper in Southport in 2015.
- August 7 2006: Rudakubana is born in Cardiff, Wales.
- 2013: The family - including Rudakubana's father, mother and older brother - move from Wales to Banks in Lancashire, a few miles from Southport.
- July 29 2024: Shortly before midday, a knifeman enters a dance class at The Hart Space in Hart Street in Southport.
Bebe, Elsie and Alice are fatally wounded. Eight other children are injured, as are instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes. Police say they have detained a male and seized a knife.
Within hours, claims spread online that the suspect is an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat in 2023. Some claims include an alleged identity.
- July 30 2024: In the evening, a peaceful vigil is held outside Southport's Atkinson arts venue, where flowers are laid in memory of those who died. Shortly after the vigil, a separate protest begins outside the town's mosque in St Luke's Road.
People throw items towards the mosque, property is damaged and police vehicles are set on fire.
- July 31 2024: Demonstrators gather in Whitehall, London, for an "Enough Is Enough" protest. Flares and cans are thrown at police and more than 100 people are arrested. Disorder also breaks out in Hartlepool, County Durham, and Aldershot, Hampshire.
- August 1 2024: Police announce that Rudakubana has been charged with the murders of Bebe, Elsie Dot and Alice, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article. He is not named by police because of his age.
He appears in court in Liverpool and Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC rules he can be named, as he is due to turn 18 in a week.
He initially smiled on entering the courtroom - then kept his face covered by his sweatshirt for the remainder of the proceedings before the case was adjourned.
Later that evening, demonstrators gather outside a hotel in Newton Heath, Manchester.
- August 2 2024: Three police officers are taken to hospital after disorder in Sunderland.
- August 3 2024: There are scenes of violence during planned protests across the UK, including in Liverpool, Hull, Nottingham and Belfast.
- August 4 2024: Disorder continues, including outside a Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, where masked demonstrators launch lengths of wood and sprayed fire extinguishers at police officers.
- August 5 2024: The Government holds an emergency Cobra meeting in the wake of the disorder and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vows to "ramp up criminal justice". That evening, a peaceful vigil is held in Southport, a week on from the killings. Police deal with disorder in Plymouth, Devon and Darlington, County Durham.
- August 7 2024: Prison sentences for those involved in the unrest begin to be handed out. Derek Drummond, 58, is the first person to be jailed for violent disorder at Liverpool Crown Court, where he is sentenced to three years.
More than 100 protests are planned for across the country, with counter-demonstrations taking place, but the majority of police forces report very little trouble.
- October 29 2024: Merseyside Police announces Rudakubana will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court via videolink the next day charged with production of a biological toxin, Ricin, and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.
- October 30 2024: Rudakubana appears at Westminster Magistrates' Court via videolink from HMP Belmarsh to face the two new charges. He holds his sweater over the bottom half of his face and does not respond when asked to confirm his name.
- November 13 2024: Rudakubana appears at Liverpool Crown Court via videolink. He covers his face with his grey sweatshirt and does not speak throughout the hearing. About 20 family members of victims sit in the public gallery. The case is adjourned until December 12, when a preparatory hearing will take place.
- January 20 2025: Rudakubana appears at Liverpool Crown Court for the first day of his trial where he pleads guilty to all 16 charges, including the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven