NEWS STORY : Southport victims’ families criticise Rudakubana’s transfer to Broadmoor

STORY

The families of the three girls murdered in the Southport attack have accused Axel Rudakubana of attempting to manipulate the system after he was transferred from HMP Belmarsh to Broadmoor high-security psychiatric hospital. Their representatives said the development had caused further distress as the second anniversary of the attack approached and requested an urgent meeting with the relevant authorities.

Rudakubana was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years for murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe, and attempting to murder eight other children and two adults at a dance workshop in Southport. He was moved to Broadmoor after clinical assessments concluded that he could not be managed safely in a prison environment because of his mental health.

The Ministry of Justice said the transfer did not alter Rudakubana’s sentence and that he would remain securely detained. Prisoners transferred under the Mental Health Act receive treatment in a secure hospital and may be returned to prison if treatment is no longer required or their condition allows them to be managed safely in custody.