THE Southport killer is trying to “manipulate the system” his victims’ families have slammed – after he moved from jail to a secure hospital.
Axel Rudakubana has been transferred from Belmarsh Prison in London to Broadmoor in Berkshire, where he will be treated as a patient rather than an inmate.
The 19-year-old has been slammed by the families of his victims, Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine.
The lawyer who is representing the three families said in a statement: “The three families we represent have been made aware of this development in the last 48 hours.
“It is safe to say that whilst this news would devastate them at any time, the fact that this has occurred as we approach the second anniversary in our view is another move by AR who would appear to be attempting, once again, to manipulate the system.
“We have been given the barest of details and whilst we are supporting the families through this we are urgently seeking a meeting with the appropriate authorities to understand the situation before commenting further.”
Next Wednesday marks two years since he carried out the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 2024.
Rudakubana, from Lancashire, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 52 years for the murders.
He also attacked eight other children, instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.
The Prison Officers’ Association said: “This vile offender has played the system and will now enjoy the freedoms that are afforded mentally unwell patients in secure psychiatric hospitals, including benefits that law abiding tax payers will fund.
“My members will be placed at risk without the protections afforded to staff in prisons because he is now classed as a patient.
“He should spend his entire sentence in a prison in solitary confinement.
“My thoughts are with the families of the victims and all those affected by his heinous crimes.”
The triple child killer’s transfer comes after The Sun revealed the move was on the cards last June.
The transfer means Rudakubana will have round the clock access to nurses and psychologists.
One source said at the time the killer was “very keen for the move” but some at the category A prison thought he could be “gaming the system”.
They added: “He knows he would be on easy street at any hospital, as opposed to Belmarsh which is one of the toughest prisons in the UK.”
He was being held in a segregation unit at Belmarsh after hurling boiling water at a guard in May 2025.
Increased security measures mean he was only able to leave his cell for one hour a day when escorted by four prison officers.
The fiend’s transfer is likely to upset the families of his three victims after he was ruled fit to stand trial in January 2025.
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed officials approved the transfer to Broadmoor on behalf of ministers, but a spokesperson for the department stressed it does not alter the killer’s 52-year sentence.
A MoJ spokesperson said: “The families of those murdered and injured in Southport will be in this country’s heart forever and our thoughts remain with them.
“Any decision to transfer an offender is made following an independent, clinical assessment, under the Mental Health Act.
“Following rigorous security checks, the offender has been transferred to a high-security psychiatric unit, where he will remain until assessed fit to return to prison.
“Officials have approved this transfer, on behalf of ministers. This transfer does not change his sentence – which remains at 52 years – and of which he will serve every single day.”
Britain’s secure hospitals have held some of the country’s most heinous killers including Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, Moors Murderer Ian Brady and double cop killer Dale Cregan.
Sutcliffe was held at Broadmoor from 1984 to 2016 and had his own TV and DVD player in a private room with James Bond posters on the walls.