Southport killer Axel Rudakubana: Teen gets Hannibal Lecter-style security after attack on guard

West Australian

12-05-2025

A teenage murderer serving a 52 year jail term for the sadistic stabbing deaths of three young girls has been locked down with Hannibal Lecter-style security after allegedly attacking a prison guard.
Southport triple murderer Axel Rudakubana, 18, is behind bars in Belmarsh Prison, one of the UK's toughest and home to the worst of the worst criminals.
He was jailed in January over the murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, as well as the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 last year.
Rudakubana is now accused of hurling boiling water over a prison guard in a terrifying pre-planned attack last Thursday that had chilling similarities to an attack carried out by another high-profile prisoner the previous month.
Other guards raced to the prison guard's aid after hearing his screams. He was taken to hospital for his injuries and discharged the same day.
The latest violence has triggered a security upgrade for Rudakubana, so severe it is considered unusual in UK prisons.
'They will treat Rudakubana much more severely. It will not be far off Hannibal Lecter because they will take no chances,' a source told
The Sun
.
His meals will be delivered through a feeding hatch, similar to that featured in the film Silence of the Lambs that starred Anthony Hopkins as serial-killer cannibal Hannibal Lecter.
'Rudakubana will only be able to open the latch on his side once the officers have shut the box and closed it on their side.'
'This is a huge deal in UK jails as it is considered it dehumanises inmates.
'He will be let out of his cell only after being searched and escorted by at least five officers, who will be in PPE and could use a dog.
'The unit will be locked down each time he is moved.'
Rudakubana's alleged attack on the prison guard had chilling echoes of another attack on guards a month ago in which Manchester Arena terrorist Hashem Abedi threw boiling water at four guards at Frankland prison.
Abedi had recently been moved to Belmarsh and authorities fear he could have inspired Rudakubana's boiling water attack.
Mr Justice Goose, the judge who sentenced Rudakubana for the Southport murders said he believed the then 17-year-old — armed with an eight-inch kitchen knife he bought for £3.40 ($6.70) from Amazon – would have killed all 26 children at the dance class had some youngsters not managed to escape and raise the alarm.
Footage of the attack showed screaming children running for their lives, some collapsing in the car park.
In one graphic scene, an eight-year-old girl escaping the building was shown being dragged back inside. She suffered horrendous injuries but survived.
Dance teacher Leanne Lucas, who was also stabbed, said she believed Rudakubana 'targeted us because we were women and girls, vulnerable and easy prey'.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said Rudakubana's warped interest in genocide and mass murder had driven him to kill.
'Having researched atrocities committed by others, the evidence suggests that he set out to emulate them on July 29,' the prosecutor said.
'Three children were killed, two of whom suffered particularly horrific injuries which are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic.
'His only purpose was to kill, and he targeted the youngest, most vulnerable in order to spread the greatest level of fear and outrage, which he succeeded in doing.'