Families of murdered Southport girls accuse killer of ‘manipulating the system’ after being transferred to Broadmoor

Chris Walker, of Bond Turner, who is representing the three bereaved Southport 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.”

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) also criticised the move, accusing Rudakubana of “playing the system” to get a move to Broadmoor,.

POA Chairman Mark Fairhurst said in a statement: “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.”

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Sally Jameson, a junior housing minister and former prison officer, said she hoped that Rudakubana would not receive benefits while in Broadmoor.

She told LBC: “Well, it’s not right, and I sincerely hope that he won’t be qualifying for benefits.

“But actually, fundamentally, what I think is important to note is he will not get time off his sentence, and he will be returned to jail as soon as possible.

“The high security hospitals, they’re not like ordinary hospitals. They are a prison hospital. He will be kept under very stringent conditions, befitting actually to his crime, but also the level of security that needs to be put around him.

“I’m confident that he will be returned to prison as soon as possible and serve out his sentence. I agree that should be under the most punitive and solitary conditions that is possible.”

In May last year, while at HMP Belmarsh, Rudakubana allegedly attacked a prison officer with boiling water using a kettle in his cell.

In the years before the attack on the Southport dance class, three separate referrals were made to the Government’s anti-terror programme, Prevent, about Rudakubana’s behaviour, as well as six separate calls to police.

Rudakubana attacked a pupil with a hockey stick, used school computers to look up the London Bridge terror outrage and carried a knife on a bus.

Knives, archery arrows and ricin, a biological toxin 6,000 times more poisonous than cyanide, were found when police raided Rudakubana’s home after the attack, with evidence suggesting the equipment needed for the substance was bought in 20.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman 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.”