Axel Rudakubana, the Southport killer serving a life sentence for the 2024 murders of three young girls and the attempted murder of multiple others at a dance class, has been charged with several assaults committed while in custody. At a hearing held on Monday via video link from Broadmoor hospital, where Rudakubana is currently detained, he faced allegations of attacking prison staff at HMP Belmarsh.

The 20-year-old is accused of throwing boiling water mixed with sugar—described in court as "prison napalm"—onto a prison officer on May 8, 2025. Two days prior, he reportedly threw an unidentified liquid at a female emergency worker. Additionally, Rudakubana is alleged to have punched a male prison officer in an incident dated October 28 of the same year. Authorities also found stone shards in his cell, which constitute another charge related to possession of a weapon.

Rudakubana, who is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years for the high-profile killings of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, appeared before Westminster magistrates’ court but was not required to enter a plea. He confirmed his identity but otherwise remained silent during the brief hearing.

Judge Paul Goldspring remanded Rudakubana in custody, setting his next court appearance at the Old Bailey for October 19. The charges include assault occasioning actual bodily harm, attempted grievous bodily harm, and possession of a weapon.

The attacks on staff members at HMP Belmarsh underscore ongoing security concerns within the prison system when managing high-risk offenders. Rudakubana’s actions have drawn attention to the challenges posed by inmates with violent histories, particularly those held in high-security facilities. The case remains under judicial review as the next hearing approaches.