Southport killer ‘threw boiling water mixed with sugar at prison officer’

During the alleged incident on May 8 last year, Rudakubana threw it through a hatch on his cell door at Belmarsh, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday.

The court heard that “prompt medical attention prevented lasting injury”.

Two days prior, Rudakubana allegedly threatened to “soak” a female officer outside his cell if she did not pass him a newspaper and then threw an “unknown liquid” at her, causing no damage, prosecutor Catherine Pattison said.

Rudakubana also allegedly “punched a male officer who had challenged the defendant when he had attempted to walk past officers seeking to establish if he had taken certain medication”, on October 28 2025 the prosecutor said.

The alleged incidents took place at Belmarsh (PA)

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Ms Pattison added that in June last year, Rudakubana had allegedly sharpened stone shards at the prison, “seemingly prised from the floor of the defendant’s cell”, which were found stuck to the underside of a shelving unit.

She went on: “When questioned by a prison officer, he said that he was keeping them for self-defence.”

Rudakubana claimed after the alleged boiling water attack that prison officers had been poisoning his food, the court heard.

He is charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and possession of an offensive weapon in prison.

Ms Pattison told the court: “Since his incarceration there have been a number of incidents that have arisen that have resulted in four charges for which he appears before you today.”

Rudakubana, now 20, was given 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.

He carried out the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 2024.

Rudakubana appeared via video link from Broadmoor psychiatric hospital and had his head rested on his hand during the hearing, during which he was not asked to enter pleas.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on October 19.

Rudakubana was sentenced for the murders of three children and attempted murders of eight other children and two adults last year (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

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In July this year the Ministry of Justice confirmed that he was transferred from prison to Broadmoor psychiatric hospital.

Offenders who present an increased risk and cannot be managed safely in a prison environment because of mental disorders can be moved to secure psychiatric units.

People in these units are treated as patients rather than prisoners.

Broadmoor, in Berkshire, is the oldest of the UK’s three high-security hospitals and has held some of the UK’s most high-profile criminals, including Ronnie Kray and serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, also known as the Yorkshire Ripper.

Under the Mental Health Act, officials acting for the Justice Secretary have no choice but to accept the advice of clinical professionals to transfer prisoners to a secure facility.

An offender in a secure hospital will be compelled to engage with treatment and to undertake therapies before any return to prison or release into the community.

Where offenders no longer require treatment in hospital, the Act allows a swift return to prison.