Axel Rudakubana murdered three innocent little girls during his frenzied knife attack on a children’s Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport in July last year
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana barbarically murdered three young girls, but now he will be the one to suffer, experts say.
The twisted teenager is currently serving a minimum term of 52 years for the murder and attempted murder of innocent children and their teachers in July 2024. The then-17-year-old rampaged through a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport with a kitchen knife, killing Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
Two of the 10 survivors, a 14-year-old girl and her teacher Leanne Lucas, have now spoken out about the harrowing ordeal for the first time. The teen, whose name has been changed to Sarah to protect her identity, said Rudakubana looked “possessed” as he plunged a knife into her, while Leanne tragically remembers thinking “everyone was going to die”.
It comes after the Attorney General rejected calls for the Court of Appeal to review the length of Rudakubana’s sentence. Lord Hermer KC said earlier this month that after “careful consideration”, he had “concluded that this case cannot properly be referred to the Court of Appeal”. This means Rudakubana will be nearly 70 before he can even be considered for release.
The convicted killer is currently being held in a segregation unit at HMP Belmarsh due to fears he will be murdered as soon as he steps into the general population because the prisoners can’t wait to avenge the little girls he slaughtered. The south-east London nick is known to be one of Britain’s most violent jails, where child killers sit at the very bottom of the prison hierarchy.
Last month, a voice note went viral on social media claiming Rudakubana had been attacked in his cell, but this rumour was later debunked. The Mirror was informed the reports were “completely untrue” and “published by people with an agenda”. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that the claims made in the audio recording, that he had been “smashed to pieces”, were wholly inaccurate.
During Rudakubana’s trial, the court heard how he showed no remorse for his merciless attack and instead bragged about his murders to police, as he chillingly said, “I’m glad they’re dead”. The killer boasted that he felt “happy” one victim was as young as six. But now, the attention he long sought will haunt him in jail, and it is likely he will be met with disgust, outrage and violence by his fellow inmates, multiple experts and former inmates believe.
Former Category A prisoner Ricky Killeen told Mail Online: “Every prisoner will want to target him because he killed children. Even small-time prisoners will try to attack him as that will mean they will get more drugs as rewards from other inmates.”
The ex-con also warned that Rudakubana may have ‘prison napalm’ thrown at him – a mixture of hot water and sugar, which causes horrific burns. He says prisoners also sharpen plastic handles of toilet brushes to use as improvised knives, and adds that Rudakubana will face attacks all his life in prison.
Ex prison governor Ian Acheson also said: “The threat Rudakubana poses to others is probably unquantifiable. The threat he is subject to will be extremely high. Child killers are at the bottom of the prison hierarchy.”
Meanwhile, senior investigator and prison behaviour specialist John Eastham told the Mirror: “Axel Rudakubana’s life behind bars will be shaped by his age, the media scrutiny of his crimes, and his behaviour both in court and within the prison system. At just 18, Rudakubana may be housed in a young offenders’ institution or a segregated unit within an adult prison for his protection. However, the nature of his crimes and the extensive media coverage mean he is likely to face hostility from fellow inmates. High-profile offenders, particularly those involved in violent or high-profile crimes, often become targets in prison.”
Mr Eastham, from the British Lie Detector Test, said it is likely the murderer will remain segregated, which may further isolate him and limit his interactions. “His behaviour in court, marked by disruptions and a lack of remorse raises significant concerns about his willingness to engage with rehabilitation,” he continued.
“Reports of his satisfaction with the tragedy he caused point to a troubling lack of accountability and empathy, which could hinder his participation in programmes designed to address behavioural issues and reduce the risk of reoffending. That said, the prison system does offer structured opportunities for reflection and reform.”
Rudakubana has the next five decades to work on himself and think again and again about his heinous crimes, most likely within the four walls of an isolated single cell, but according to Mr Eastham, “his current disposition suggests that meaningful rehabilitation will require a major shift in his attitude and mindset”, and he may never change.
Explaining how his sought-after notoriety will backfire, Mr Eastham said: “Ultimately, while the prison environment provides avenues for growth, Rudakubana’s notoriety and the violent nature of his crimes are likely to make him a target among inmates. This could result in a more challenging and isolated prison experience, which may further complicate his future.”
Former prisoner Rich Jones also believes that violence awaits Rudakubana and has said justice will be served. He told our sister paper, the Liverpool Echo: “If people can get to him they will get to him and it will be a matter of once he gets on the wings, if someone has an axe to grind in there, and they want to grind it, they will grind it with him because of what he has done.”
Rich, who is a British Army veteran and served seven years for conspiracy to supply cocaine, continued: “There will be some sort of justice somewhere down the line, and it will be something he has to deal with for the rest of his life.” The former convict said Rudakubana might face periods of segregation and be in for a “really bumpy ride”.
