Southport Killer Regains Prison Perks After Guard Attack

Axel Rudakubana, the 19-year-old serving 52 years for the murders of three young girls in Southport, has had his prison privileges upgraded from 'basic' to 'standard' at HMP Belmarsh despite allegedly attacking a prison guard by throwing boiling water in May. This upgrade grants him increased weekly spending money, from £5.50 to around £20, more time outside his cell, and greater access to workshops, the library, gym, a Freeview TV, and a DVD player. The alleged attack on the officer, who was hospitalized but discharged the same day, remains under police investigation, and Rudakubana has been under a strict four-man unlock protocol since the incident. The decision to restore his privileges has sparked outrage from MPs and commentators, who argue it amounts to rewarding bad behavior and endangers prison staff. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick condemned the move, calling for an end to what he termed a culture of appeasement towards violent prisoners, warning that failure to act could lead to the death of a prison officer. The Prison Service emphasized that violence against staff will not be tolerated and promised the strongest possible punishment for such attacks.