Southport triple killer Axel Rudakubana is being investigated by police over an alleged attack on a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh, the PA news agency understands.

The prison officer was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure after the attack on Thursday and discharged later the same evening, it is understood.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Police are investigating an attack on a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh yesterday.

“Violence in prison will not be tolerated and we will always push for the strongest possible punishment for attacks on our hardworking staff.”

Rudakubana, 18, was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years for murdering three young girls in an attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Merseyside town.

The Sunreports that Rudakubana threw boiling water over the officer. The teenager killed Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Alice Aguiar, nine, and six-year-old Bebe King on July 29, 2024. He also attacked eight other children, class instructor Leanne Lucas, and businessman John Hayes, who had tried to disarm him.

He was jailed in January at Liverpool Crown Court for three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder, and other offences including producing ricin, possessing terrorist material, and possessing a knife.

A public inquiry into the Southport murders began in April. In February, the Attorney General rejected calls for the Court of Appeal to review the length of Rudakubana's jail sentence.

Rudakubana's minimum term of 52 years means he cannot be considered for release until he has served that amount of time in prison.