Axel Rudakubana is accused of throwing boiling water mixed with sugar through the hatch of his Belmarsh cell and striking a prison officer on 8 May. The 20-year-old, already serving life for the July 2024 Taylor Swift–themed dance class murders, faces charges including attempted grievous bodily harm and assault on emergency workers. Prosecutors say he also threatened staff, threw an unknown liquid at an officer, punched another officer and sharpened stone shards in his cell. He appeared by videolink from Broadmoor and was remanded to appear at the Old Bailey on 19 October.
Southport Killer Accused Of Throwing Boiling Sugar Water At Prison Officer
The Southport killer appeared in court via video link from Broadmoor hospital - PA Wire/Elizabeth Cook
Axel Rudakubana is accused of throwing boiling water mixed with sugar through the hatch of his cell at HMP Belmarsh, hitting a prison officer, Westminster magistrates' court heard. The alleged incident is said to have occurred on 8 May last year while Rudakubana was held at Belmarsh prior to transfer to Broadmoor high-security psychiatric hospital.
Allegations and Charges
Rudakubana, 20, who was convicted and given a life sentence for the murders of three children and the attempted murder of others at a Taylor Swift–themed dance class in July 2024, now faces new charges. He is accused of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and possession of an offensive weapon in prison.
The alleged attack was said to have taken place at Belmarsh, where Rudakubana was imprisoned before his transfer to Broadmoor
What Prosecutors Say
Prosecutors told the court that Rudakubana allegedly mixed sugar with boiling water — a combination sometimes referred to in custody as "prison napalm" — and threw it through the cell hatch. Court lawyers explained that adding sugar raises the boiling point and makes the liquid stickier, increasing the risk of severe burns and adhesion to skin.
Two days before this incident, Rudakubana is said to have threatened to "soak" a female officer unless she passed him a newspaper and then threw an "unknown liquid" at her that caused no injury. He also allegedly punched a male officer who challenged him when officers checked whether he had taken medication.
Left to right: Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and Bebe King, six
In June last year, prosecutors say Rudakubana sharpened fragments of stone, apparently prised from the floor of his cell; the shards were reportedly found stuck to the underside of a shelving unit. When questioned, he allegedly told officers he was keeping them "for self-defence." After the boiling-water incident, he reportedly claimed staff were poisoning his food.
Court Appearance And Transfer
Rudakubana appeared at the hearing by videolink from Broadmoor and was not asked to enter pleas. He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on 19 October. In July, the Ministry of Justice confirmed his transfer from Belmarsh to Broadmoor under clinical advice under the Mental Health Act; such moves are used when an offender's mental disorder means they cannot be safely managed in prison.
Background
Rudakubana was convicted and jailed for life for the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Bebe King, six; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and for the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults. The killings took place during a Taylor Swift–themed dance class on 29 July 2024.
Families' reaction: After the transfer to Broadmoor was announced, the victims' families said Rudakubana was trying to "manipulate the system."
About Broadmoor: Broadmoor, in Berkshire, is one of the UK's three high-security psychiatric hospitals and has housed some high-profile offenders in the past. Under the Mental Health Act, clinical recommendations drive transfer decisions; patients in secure hospitals are treated under mental-health legislation and may be returned to prison if they no longer require treatment.
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