Axel Rudakubana, the man sentenced to life for the Southport dance class murders, is facing trial next year over an alleged attack on a prison officer. The 20-year-old appeared at the Old Bailey on Monday charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to a male prison officer.
The charge relates to an incident on May 8 last year, when it is alleged he threw boiling water mixed with sugar through a hatch in his cell door at Belmarsh prison in south London.
Further charges and court appearance
Rudakubana is also charged with two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, on May 6 and October 28 last year, and possession of an offensive weapon in prison on June 26 last year.
He appeared by videolink from Broadmoor hospital before Judge Mark Lucraft KC. Wearing a grey and black hoodie and flanked by three hospital staff, he spoke only to confirm his identity and was not asked to enter pleas.
Judge Lucraft set a provisional two-week trial from October 4 next year, with a further review hearing on February 5.
Background and alleged incidents
Rudakubana is serving a life sentence for the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in 2024.
It is alleged that two days before the hot water incident, Rudakubana threatened to "soak" a female officer outside his cell if she did not pass him a newspaper, then threw liquid at her. He also allegedly punched a male officer who had challenged him on October 28.
In June last year, sharpened stone shards thought to have been prised from the floor of his cell were found stuck to the underside of a shelving unit, it is claimed. The defendant was charged on July 28 and the case was sent to the Old Bailey.
