Southport killer ‘trying to retraumatise families from cell’ says lawyer
Rudakubana, now 19, was given a life sentence for the murders
A lawyer for the families of the children murdered by Axel Rudakubana has said he is concerned that the Southport killer is trying “to retraumatise the families from his cell” nearly two years on from the attack.
Rudakubana, now 19, was given a life sentence for the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults.
Next Wednesday marks two years since he carried out the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 2024.
Earlier this week, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that Rudakubana has been transferred from prison to the psychiatric facility Broadmoor Hospital.
A spokesperson for the department stressed it does not alter the killer’s 52-year sentence.
Chris Walker, who is representing the three bereaved families, told BBC Breakfast: “It’s a deep concern of mine that this is a pattern starting to develop by him trying to retraumatise the families from his cell, and it’s a deep concern that this is going to occur every anniversary.”
He also pointed out that there was “no suggestion” that Rudakubana was under any form of “psychosis” when he carried out the murders.
The families were informed of the decision in a letter on July 22, but were not given details on why the transfer happened.
Mr Walker said: “With the vacuum of information, the concern is that he’s manipulating the situation to his own benefit.”
He added: “For it to come out the week before the anniversary seems coincidental to us.
“Whether that’s been poorly handled by the Government, or whether it’s designed by him.”
Sally Jameson, a junior housing minister and former prison officer, said on Friday that Rudakubana would be returned to prison “as soon as possible” but that she was not familiar with why the decision had been taken to move him.
The move to Broadmoor high security hospital from the category A prison Belmarsh was first reported by The Guardian on Thursday.
Offenders who present an increased risk, and cannot be managed safely in a prison environment because of mental disorders, can be moved to secure psychiatric units.
People in these units are treated as patients rather than prisoners.
Mr Walker said: “When he did what he did, it was carefully planned, it was meticulous and it was designed to cause the maximum distress to society.
“There’s no evidence of any mental health disorder being a component of his crime.
“There’s no evidence of psychosis.
“The families say, given that, he needs to serve a prison sentence, he should not be going to hospital.
“He needs to be in prison.”
Mr Walker said that the letter included the offer of a meeting with the Director for Public Protection, which he will attend on behalf of the families.