Police examine alleged assault on jail officer via Southport triple killer

Police are investigating an alleged assault on a jail officer at HMP Belmarsh via Southport triple killer Axel Rudakubana.

On Thursday, Rudakubana, 18, allegedly used a kettle in his cellular to warmth water up after which poured boiling water over the officer.

The jail officer used to be taken to health facility as a precaution and used to be discharged at the similar day and is anticipated again at paintings subsequent week, the Guardian understands.

A Prison Service spokesperson stated: “Police are investigating an attack on a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh [on Thursday]. Violence in prison will not be tolerated and we will always push for the strongest possible punishment for attacks on our hard-working staff.”

Rudakubana used to be jailed for no less than 52 years in January for the murders of 3 ladies – Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven – and tried murders of 8 different kids, dance elegance trainer Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.

The assault happened at a Taylor Swift-themed workshop in Southport on 29 July 2024, and 10 others have been injured. He used to be additionally convicted of offences together with generating ricin, possessing terrorist subject material, and possessing a knife.

In April, the house secretary stated that an inquiry into the Southport murders had officially begun its paintings having a look at how to be told courses from the assault.

According to information from the Ministry of Justice, attacks on body of workers in grownup prisons in England and Wales in keeping with yr has reached its very best degree in a decade. About 10,605 attacks on body of workers in female and male jails have been recorded in 2024, up from 9,204 in 2023 and over the triple the recorded quantity in 2014 – which used to be 3640.

Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood has in the past introduced that the usage of Tasers might be trialled in prisons. She additionally showed the Prison Service will habits a “snap review” of the usage of protecting frame armour for jail officials.

In a publish on X, shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick stated: “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.”