Leaked voice note claiming Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was attacked in his cell by inmates is debunked by MOJ
A VOICENOTE claiming that the Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana has been attacked behind bars has been debunked.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed to The Sun that the 18-year-old has not been assaulted while in prison.
A spokesperson for the department, which oversees the prison estate, said: “I can confirm that reports of Axel Rudakubana being attacked in prison are inaccurate.
“He has not been attacked.”
A WhatsApp message, flagged as “forwarded many times”, appears to claim that Rudakubana was set upon by two men serving time for murder.
The message was then widely shared on Elon Musk‘s X despite it being incorrect.
The Sun revealed this week that Rudakubana will be “target no 1” for attacks behind bars with lags looking to seek revenge for the horrific Southport attacks.
He stabbed to death Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, at a Taylor Swift dance class in an incident which shocked the nation.
He was sentenced to life behind bars on Thursday with a minimum of 52 years and is currently being held in Belmarsh prison in south east London.
Mr Justice Goose said at Thursday’s sentencing hearing that it was highly unlikely that he would ever be released from prison.
The teenager will be 70 by the time that he can apply to leave jail, and even then it is incredibly unlikely he would be let out.
Mark Fairhurst, national chairman of the Prison Officers’ Association, said Rudakubana would likely be held in isolation in a segregation unit for his own protection as he will be “target No.1” for other inmates.
He is expected to remain at Belmarsh until he is assessed.
He could either stay at the notorious jail or be sent to other Category A prisons across the country including Full Sutton in York or Frankland Prison in Durham.
Mr Fairhurst said Rudakubana would have the same rights as every other inmate and would be offered isolation.
He would be entitled to showers, phone calls home and exercise even in isolation.
His fellow inmates
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana will face a lifetime of hell behind bars.
He said the evil killer is currently being held at high-security Belmarsh Prison in Woolwich, south east London.
His fellow inmates include:
Urfan Sharif
Urfan Sharif was handed a minimum 40-year term last month for murdering innocent Sara in a two-year “campaign of torture” that saw her beaten, burned and bitten.
He was jailed alongside Sara’s stepmum Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle Faisal Malik, 29, who was convicted of allowing the death of a child.
Khairi Saadallah
Khairi Saadallah stabbed three people to death in a Reading park in 2020.
He is serving a whole life order in Belmarsh.
David Copeland
Neo-Nazi David Copeland who bombed a gay pub, Brixton Market and Brick Lane in 1999 killing three people and injuring 140.
Hashem Abedi
Hashem Abedi – brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman – has spent time at Belmarsh after being handed a minimum 55-year life term for murdering 22 people in the May 2017 attack.
Mr Fairhurst said: “If there was any intelligence he was at risk then he would be put in the segregation unit under isolation or to some other part of the prison where he is away from everyone else.”
He added: “His life will be absolute hell. He is target No.1.
“He’ll be looking over his shoulders for the next 52 years. Any chance they can get him they will.”
Notorious prisoners have been targeted by other lags in the past with inmates using improvised weapons to maim their victims.
Sara Sharif’s killer dad had his throat slashed while in the notorious jail despite being under close supervision by guards.
Two inmates ambushed Urfan Sharif, 43, in his cell and cut his neck with a jagged tuna can lid just weeks after he was sentenced.
The pair were sickened by his abuse of Sara, who was beaten, burned and bitten over two years before her death in August 2023.
Soham murderer Ian Huntley had his throat slashed with an improved knife while at high security Frankland Prison in County Durham in 2008.
Three years earlier he had been scolded with boiling water at Wakefield Prison while on the healthcare wing.
As he has just been sentenced to life imprisonment, Rudakubana will be on “suicide watch” with officers keeping a constant eye on him to ensure he does not hurt himself.
The teenage killer will also likely have three prison officers with him when he leaves his cell at all times to ensure he, and other prisoners, are kept safe.