**Police Launch Investigation Following Alleged Assault on Prison Officer at HMP Belmarsh**
Police authorities have opened a formal investigation after an alleged assault at a high-security prison involving Axel Rudakubana, a teenager convicted of a notorious triple homicide in Southport. Reports indicate the incident occurred at HMP Belmarsh on Thursday, when an inmate is said to have used boiling water as a weapon against a prison officer.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the 18-year-old suspect, Rudakubana, allegedly utilised a kettle within his cell to boil water before pouring it over a staff member. The incident prompted an immediate emergency response. The injured officer received prompt hospital treatment as a precautionary measure and, fortunately, no longer needed further medical attention, being discharged later the same evening. The Prison Service has stated that the officer is expected to return to duty in the following week.
Rudakubana is no stranger to the headlines. Earlier this year, the teenager was sentenced to serve at least 52 years in prison after being found guilty of the murders of three young girls – Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven. The attack, which took place during a Taylor Swift-themed workshop in July 2024, also saw him attempt to murder eight other children, as well as a class instructor, Leanne Lucas, and businessman John Hayes. His conviction marked one of the most shocking and tragic crimes in recent memory.
The Prison Service issued a strong statement regarding the alleged assault, noting, “Police are investigating an attack on a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh yesterday.” The spokesperson continued, “Violence in prison will not be tolerated and we will always push for the strongest possible punishment for attacks on our hardworking staff.”
This latest incident has reignited debates over the safety and security protocols in the UK’s high-security prisons. Shadow Justice Secretary, Robert Jenrick, expressed grave concerns, describing the event as the “third astonishing security failure at a top security prison”. In a post on the social media platform X, Mr Jenrick criticised apparent lapses in oversight, saying, “Warning after warning has been ignored. I personally raised security at HMP Belmarsh just last week. This is a full blown crisis. No more lengthy ‘reviews’ – the Justice Secretary needs to act NOW.”
Statistics underscore the growing risks faced by prison staff. Recent Ministry of Justice data reveals that assaults on staff in adult prisons in England and Wales have climbed to their highest point in a decade, with 10,605 such incidents recorded across 2024. This figure marks a significant increase from 9,204 cases in 2023 and is almost triple the 3,640 assaults documented in 2014.
The issue of violence within British prisons has not been confined to HMP Belmarsh. Only last month, four guards at HMP Frankland in County Durham suffered attacks with hot oil and improvised weapons by Hashem Abedi, the individual convicted for his role in the Manchester Arena bombing plot. Following this incident, Abedi was transferred to Belmarsh for heightened security.
In response to these troubling trends, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood previously announced the introduction of tasers on a trial basis within prisons. Additionally, a “snap review” is underway which focuses on the potential widespread adoption of protective body armour for officers. These steps form part of government efforts to bolster safety measures amid a growing outcry from both the public and representatives of prison staff.
As the investigation into Thursday’s alleged assault unfolds, calls for urgent and concrete reforms within the prison system are intensifying. The ongoing inquiries into both the Southport murders and the recent surge in prison violence are being closely followed, with many insisting that lessons must be learned and acted upon to safeguard both prisoners and the essential staff serving behind bars.