Key facts
- Axel Rudakubana, convicted of murdering three girls, has been transferred from Belmarsh prison to Broadmoor secure psychiatric hospital.
- Victims' families and prison officers' union representatives accuse Rudakubana of manipulating the system.
- The Ministry of Justice stated Rudakubana will serve his 52-year sentence under strict security and is unlikely to be released.
- Rudakubana was jailed for life in January 2025 with a minimum 52-year sentence for the murders of Elsie Dot Stancombe, Bebe King, and Alice da Silva Aguiar.
- The transfer to Broadmoor is expected to significantly increase costs compared to prison.
Axel Rudakubana, the 19-year-old convicted of murdering three young girls in Southport, has been transferred from Belmarsh prison to Broadmoor secure psychiatric hospital. The move has drawn sharp criticism from the families of the victims and representatives of prison officers, who accuse Rudakubana of manipulating the system.
Lawyer Chris Walker, representing the families, stated that the timing of the transfer, near the second anniversary of the murders, suggests an attempt by Rudakubana to manipulate the system. He is seeking a meeting with authorities to understand the situation.
Mark Fairhurst, chair of the Prison Officers’ Association, echoed these sentiments, suggesting Rudakubana is exploiting his mental health status to move to a more comfortable environment with potential benefits funded by taxpayers. Fairhurst also raised concerns about staff safety, as Rudakubana will now be treated as a patient rather than a prisoner.
Despite these accusations, the Ministry of Justice has insisted that Rudakubana will remain behind locked doors for his entire 52-year custodial sentence and is unlikely to ever be released. A spokesperson emphasized that high-security hospitals are not places of freedom and that Rudakubana will be under constant supervision, with the possibility of returning to prison.
Rudakubana was jailed for life in January 2025, with a minimum of 52 years, after admitting to the murders of seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, six-year-old Bebe King, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar. He also attempted to murder eight other children and two adults during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. His convictions also include producing the biological toxin ricin and possessing an al-Qaida training manual.
The transfer to Broadmoor, a high-security psychiatric hospital, is expected to significantly increase costs, with an annual place costing over £300,000 compared to approximately £60,000 for a prison inmate. The Ministry of Justice stated the transfer followed a robust independent clinical assessment and that the offender attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh in May 2025.