Axel Rudakubana, the 20-year-old serving a life sentence for the Southport murders, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday to face charges relating to multiple assaults on prison staff and possession of a weapon. Magistrates sent all charges to the Crown Court, where he is scheduled to appear on 19 October at the Old Bailey. He was remanded in custody pending that hearing.
Rudakubana is accused of throwing boiling water mixed with sugar at a prison officer through the cell door hatch on 8 May 2025 while held at HMP Belmarsh. According to reporting on the hearing, prompt medical attention meant the officer suffered no lasting injury from the alleged attack.
The defendant appeared via video link from Broadmoor secure psychiatric hospital, wearing a pale grey and blue tracksuit top. He spoke only to confirm he could hear the chief magistrate, to provide his name and date of birth, and rested his head on his left hand throughout the proceedings.
What are the other charges?
Rudakubana faces two additional assault charges against prison officers. On 6 May 2025, he allegedly threatened to soak a female officer outside his cell if she did not pass him a newspaper, then threw an unknown liquid at her through his door hatch. According to separate reporting on the incident, Rudakubana claimed after the boiling-water attack that prison officers had been poisoning his food.
On 28 October 2025, he allegedly punched a male prison officer in the face while the officer was attempting to establish whether Rudakubana had taken his medication.
He is also charged with possession of a knife or other offensive weapon in prison. Prosecutors say sharpened stone shards, apparently prised from the floor of his cell, were found stuck to the underside of a shelving unit. When questioned by a prison officer, Rudakubana stated he was keeping them for self-defence.
What is Rudakubana's background?
Rudakubana is serving a life sentence for murdering three children at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport in July 2024. The victims were Alice da Silva Aguiar, aged nine, Bebe King, aged six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven. He was also convicted of the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults during that attack.
He was previously held at HMP Belmarsh but has since been transferred to Broadmoor, the high-security psychiatric hospital in Berkshire. According to court reporting, the hearing lasted approximately 15 minutes, with Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring presiding and directing that the matter be sent to the Crown Court.
What happens next?
Rudakubana is due to appear at the Old Bailey on 19 October for the Crown Court proceedings. He remains in custody until that date. The case was escalated from the magistrates' court because the charges fall within the jurisdiction of the higher court.
