Authorities are looking into an alleged assault on a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh involving Axel Rudakubana, an 18-year-old triple murderer from Southport.
On Thursday, Rudakubana reportedly boiled water in a kettle inside his cell and subsequently splashed the hot liquid on the officer.
The prison officer was taken to a hospital as a safety measure but was released the same day and is anticipated to return to work next week, according to information from the Guardian.
A spokesperson for the Prison Service stated: “The police are investigating an incident involving an assault on a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh [on Thursday]. We will not accept violence within our prisons and will advocate for the most severe penalties for anyone who attacks our diligent staff.”
Rudakubana received a minimum sentence of 52 years in January for the murders of three young girls—Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven—as well as the attempted murders of eight additional children, dance instructor Leanne Lucas, and businessman John Hayes.
The incident occurred during a Taylor Swift-themed workshop in Southport on July 29, 2024, resulting in ten other individuals being injured. Rudakubana was also found guilty of various other charges, including producing ricin, possessing materials associated with terrorism, and carrying a knife.
In April, the Home Secretary announced that an inquiry into the Southport killings had commenced, aiming to draw lessons from the attack.
Data from the Ministry of Justice reveals that assaults on prison staff in England and Wales have reached their highest levels in a decade. In 2024, approximately 10,605 assaults were recorded in both male and female prisons, an increase from 9,204 in 2023 and over three times the total of 3,640 reported in 2014.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has previously indicated that the use of Tasers will be tested in prisons, and she has confirmed that the Prison Service will undertake a “snap review” regarding the implementation of protective body armor for prison staff.
In a statement on X, shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick expressed: “Warnings have been repeatedly ignored. I raised the issue of security at HMP Belmarsh just last week. This situation is a full-blown crisis. It’s time for the Justice Secretary to take immediate action, rather than conducting lengthy ‘reviews’.”
