Southport Triple Child Killer Axel Rudakubana Moved to Mental Hospital, But Experts Say Something Big Could Happen Next

Axel Rudakubana, who was sentenced to at least 52 years in prison for the 2024 Southport murders, could one day be moved back to prison even after being transferred to Broadmoor secure hospital, according to police and crime commentator Danny Shaw.

Speaking to GB News, Shaw said it is quite rare for someone to spend their entire prison sentence in a high-security psychiatric hospital. He explained that many prisoners are only moved to a secure hospital when doctors believe they need specialist mental health treatment. Once their condition improves and becomes stable, they are often transferred back to prison to continue serving their sentence.

His comments came after Rudakubana was moved from Belmarsh Prison to Broadmoor. The transfer has upset the families of the three young girls who were murdered in the Southport attack. Through their lawyer, they said they are worried that Rudakubana could be trying to manipulate the system so that he is treated in hospital instead of remaining in prison.

There have also been reports that Rudakubana received visits from a Muslim imam while he was in Belmarsh before being transferred to Broadmoor. It has also been reported that the secure hospital has a multi-faith sanctuary that patients can visit as part of their treatment and rehabilitation.

Shaw said that the doctors who assessed Rudakubana must have believed it was no longer safe for him to stay in prison and that he required treatment in a secure hospital. However, he also pointed to comments made by Mark Fairhurst, Chairman of the Prison Officers’ Association, who said prison staff believed Rudakubana could still have been managed safely inside Belmarsh. Fairhurst has suggested there are concerns that the killer may have been trying to manipulate the system, and Shaw said those concerns should not simply be ignored.

At the same time, Shaw stressed that mental health can change over time. He explained that just because someone was well enough to stand trial does not mean their mental health cannot become much worse while they are in prison. In some cases, prisoners develop serious mental health problems after they have been sentenced, making treatment in a secure hospital necessary.

He added that being transferred to Broadmoor does not automatically mean Rudakubana will remain there for the rest of his sentence. According to Shaw, it is common for prisoners to spend a period in a secure psychiatric hospital while doctors assess and treat them. If their condition improves, they are usually returned to prison to continue serving their sentence.

Shaw also said that more information about the reasons for Rudakubana’s transfer may become available after doctors at Broadmoor carry out further assessments. He said it remains to be seen whether the medical team will conclude that Rudakubana genuinely needs long-term psychiatric treatment or whether they believe he has exaggerated or manipulated his condition.

He rejected the suggestion that Broadmoor is an easier place to serve a sentence than prison. Shaw explained that patients at the hospital are watched around the clock with 24-hour CCTV, are under constant supervision by large numbers of staff, and must follow compulsory treatment plans. He said it is a highly secure environment with strict rules, not an easy alternative to prison.

Shaw said he would be surprised if Rudakubana was not eventually transferred back to prison. He explained that, in most cases, prisoners who are moved to secure hospitals receive treatment through medication and other therapies until their condition stabilises, after which they are returned to prison. He said it is very unusual for someone to spend their entire prison sentence in a psychiatric hospital.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said the families of those killed and injured in the Southport attack remain in the country’s thoughts. The spokesperson added that Rudakubana will remain locked up for the full length of his 52-year custodial sentence and is considered highly unlikely ever to be released.