Southport murder: British teenager jailed for at least 52 years

Reuters
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A British teenager who murdered three teenage girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event was jailed for at least 52 years on Thursday for an atrocity prosecutors said was so violent it appeared he had tried to behead one of the victims.

On Monday, Axel Rudakubana, 18, admitted to having carried out the murders last July in the northern English town of Southport, a crime which was followed by days of nationwide riots.

Rudakubana will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for the murders of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, who were among 26 children who attended the summer vacation.

He also pleaded guilty to 10 counts of attempted murder as well as producing the deadly poison ricin and possessing an al Qaeda training manual.

Two of his victims suffered “horrendous injuries which … are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature,” prosecutor Deanna Heer told Liverpool Crown Court.

Judge Julian Goose described Rudakubana’s actions as “evil” and said: “I am certain that Rudakubana had a firm and determined intention to carry out these offenses and that if he had been able to do so he would have killed every child, all 26 of them, as well as any adults who got in his way.”

The judge sentenced Rudakubana in his absence after he refused to return to court when he had been removed twice for interrupting the hearing.

Goose said he was not allowed by law to impose a life sentence without the possibility of parole as Rudakubana was 17 at the time of his crimes, but added: “It is likely that he will never be released and that he will be in custody for the rest of his life.”

This is a breaking news story. More details to follow.