Axel Rudakubana is in prison at HMP Belmarsh, the high-security jail in south-east London. The Southport killer is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years after pleading guilty to the murders of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July 2024 — one of the most shocking crimes in recent UK history.
Who Is Axel Rudakubana?
Axel Rudakubana, born 7 January 2007 in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, was 17 years old at the time of the Southport stabbings in July 2024. He grew up in Banks, Lancashire, a small village near Southport. He had no prior criminal convictions but had come to the attention of the government’s Prevent counter-terrorism programme on several occasions before the attack, with concerns about his behaviour and potential radicalisation having been flagged to authorities.
Rudakubana pleaded guilty on 20 January 2025 — the day his trial was due to begin — to all 16 charges he faced, having previously entered not-guilty pleas. In addition to the murders, he also admitted possessing material useful for terrorism and producing the biological toxin ricin at his home address. He was 17 at the time of the attack and 18 at the time of sentencing.
What Did He Do?
On 29 July 2024, children and parents gathered at a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance workshop in Hart Street, Southport, held by a local dance teacher. Rudakubana entered the property armed with a knife and launched an indiscriminate attack on those present. He murdered three young girls: Bebe King, aged 6; Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged 7; and Alice da Silva Aguiar, aged 9. He also seriously injured ten other children and two adults who tried to intervene.
The attack caused national shock and grief, and sparked widespread riots across England and Northern Ireland in the days that followed, fuelled by misinformation spread on social media about the attacker’s identity. Police subsequently arrested and charged numerous individuals in connection with riot-related violence across multiple cities.
Investigations after the attack revealed that Rudakubana had been attempting to produce ricin, a highly toxic biological substance, at his family home and had downloaded material associated with extremist ideology online.
The Sentence Explained
Rudakubana was sentenced on 23 January 2025 at Liverpool Crown Court by Mr Justice Goose. He received a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years — one of the longest minimum terms ever imposed by an English court. At the time of sentencing he was 18 years old, meaning he would not become eligible even to apply to the Parole Board until he is 70.
The judge stated it was “highly likely” that Rudakubana would never be released. He also received concurrent sentences for the terrorism and ricin-related offences. The whole of the minimum 52-year term must be served before any release consideration, and even then the Parole Board must be satisfied beyond doubt that he no longer poses any risk to the public.
To understand more about how life sentences and minimum tariffs work in England and Wales, see our guide to how much time you serve on a UK prison sentence.
Life at HMP Belmarsh
Axel Rudakubana is held at HMP Belmarsh in Thamesmead, south-east London. Belmarsh is the UK’s most high-security prison, housing category A prisoners including terrorists, high-risk violent offenders, and those considered a significant danger to the public. It has previously held figures including Julian Assange and Abu Hamza al-Masri.
In the early months of his custody, Rudakubana was placed on strict restrictions and spent the majority of his time in his cell with minimal contact with other prisoners or staff. Reports from early 2026 indicated that some of these restrictions had since been eased — he was reported to have had access to Freeview television and a small prison allowance restored — though he remained under intensive monitoring. His supervision level was reported to have been downgraded in the months before an incident in 2025.
Violence and Incidents in Custody
Rudakubana’s time in custody has not been without incident. Reports emerged in 2025 that he had attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh by hurling boiling water at them in what was described as a pre-planned assault. The incident drew significant public attention and prompted questions about whether his supervision level had been too quickly reduced. GB News reported that his supervision had been downgraded just two weeks before the serious assault took place, prompting criticism from commentators and prison staff organisations.
His case has also prompted broader debate about the failures of the Prevent counter-terrorism programme and the extent to which the warning signs about Rudakubana’s radicalisation were acted upon before July 2024. The Thirlwall Inquiry, which examined systemic failings around the Southport attack, was ongoing as of March 2026.
For information on visiting a prisoner held at a high-security prison like Belmarsh, see our guide to booking a prison visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Axel Rudakubana in prison?
Axel Rudakubana is held at HMP Belmarsh in Thamesmead, south-east London. Belmarsh is the UK highest-security prison and holds category A prisoners who are considered a serious danger to the public. Rudakubana was placed there following his sentencing in January 2025 and remains there as of 2026.
How long is Axel Rudakubana’s sentence?
Axel Rudakubana received a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years, imposed at Liverpool Crown Court on 23 January 2025. He was 18 years old at sentencing, meaning he cannot apply to the Parole Board until he is approximately 70 years old. The judge stated it was highly likely he would never be released.
What did Axel Rudakubana do?
On 29 July 2024, Axel Rudakubana attacked a Taylor Swift-themed children’s dance class in Southport, killing three young girls — Bebe King (aged 6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (aged 7), and Alice da Silva Aguiar (aged 9) — and injuring ten other children and two adults. He also pleaded guilty to possessing terrorist material and producing the biological toxin ricin.
Will Axel Rudakubana ever be released from prison?
It is extremely unlikely that Axel Rudakubana will ever be released. The sentencing judge stated it was “highly likely” he would never leave prison. He must serve a minimum of 52 years before he can even apply to the Parole Board, and even then the Board would need to be satisfied that he posed no risk to the public before any release could be considered.
Did Axel Rudakubana attack a prison officer?
Yes. Reports in 2025 indicated that Rudakubana attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh by throwing boiling water at them in what was described as a pre-planned assault. The incident occurred after his supervision level had reportedly been downgraded, and drew significant criticism about prison management of high-risk offenders.
