Southport killer Axel Rudakubana may be moved prison cell to a “cushy” secure hospital. The child murderer, 18, who killed three little girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July 2024, has had assessments with therapists to determine whether he could be “mad not bad”.
If it is determined Rudakubana needs treatment in a mental health unit, he may be moved from Category A prison HMP Belmarsh to one of Broadmoor, Ashworth or Rampton hospitals.
A source told The Sun: “Rudakubana has had the initial tests to see whether he can be classed as mentally ill and moved to a hospital unit. Conversations are happening now about his future, after he was being assessed by therapists, psychologists and other medical experts.
“He is very keen for a move because but others at Belmarsh think he is gaming the system. He knows he would be on easy street at any hospital, as opposed to Belmarsh which is one of the toughest prisons in the UK.”
Those detained in the three highly secure psychiatric units are treated as “patients” rather than prisoners. What’s more, if approved, the move will cost the taxpayer £325,000 a year, compared to £57,000 a year in prison.
Rudakubana, who received a 52-year prison sentence, attacked a jail guard with scalding water on May 8—but none of the prison officers believe he’s mentally unwell.
“No officer at Belmarsh believes he is mentally ill but he says the right things in meetings,” the source added.
They claim that because the triple killer was treated by the NHS before the attack, he is “more likely to be eligible” for a place in a secure hospital.
If moved, he would be able to enjoy his own room and less restrictions “on things like TV and DVDs plus visitors”, they added.
On July 29, 2024, Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were slaughtered while they were attending a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport, with eight others seriously injured.
During his sentencing, cowardly Rudakubana, 18, refused to enter the dock. During court proceedings he’d twice been removed due to a series of outbursts.
The court heard devastating details about Rudakubana’s spine-chilling attack, in which he stabbed one victim 122 times, and another 85.
Rudakubana was charged with three counts of murder, 10 of attempted murder, and additional charges of possessing a knife, the poison ricin and an al-Qaida manual.