Southport killer charged with prison attacks and possessing weapon

Axel Rudakubana, the perpetrator of the 2024 Southport attack, has been charged with four new offenses committed while in prison. These charges include assault on emergency workers and possession of a weapon, with a court appearance scheduled for September.
Why it matters
The case remains a high-profile legal matter in the UK, and these new charges highlight ongoing security and behavioral issues within the prison system regarding high-risk inmates.
Published 31 July 2026, 10:59 BST Updated 7 minutes ago Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been charged with four offences while in prison, including assault on an emergency worker and possession of a weapon.
Police say the offences took place at HMP Belmarsh over six months from May to October 2025.
Rudakubana, 19, murdered Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and injured eight other children and two adults in an attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July 2024.
He was given a 52-year sentence in January 2025. Earlier this month he was moved to a secure psychiatric hospital.
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