‘Evil’ Southport killer jailed for at least 52 years

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been jailed for a minimum of 52 years for the “sadistic” murders of three young girls in an attack described as “shocking” and “pure evil”.

Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died, while eight other children and two adults – dance class leader Leanne Lucas and businessman Jonathan Hayes – were seriously injured.

The 18-year-old refused to enter the courtroom as he was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court, having been removed from the dock earlier for disruptive behavior – which included demanding to see a paramedic and shouting “I feel sick “.

Judge Mr. Sentencing him, Justice Goose said: “Many who have heard the evidence might describe what he did as evil, who could dispute that?”

Warning: This story will contain disturbing details

Earlier, details of Rudakubana’s crimes were laid out in court for the first time in graphic detail – including CCTV and dashboard camera footage from outside the Hart Space studios on Hart Street.

The court heard how Rudakubana just after 11:45 BST on July 29 moved through the sold-out Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop, organized by Ms Lucas, “systematically” stabbing young girls as they sat making friendship bracelets and singing along to Swift’s music.

Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC also described how Rudakubana gloated about the attacks as he was escorted through Copy Lane police station after his arrest – saying he was “glad the kids were dead”.

The teenager had ordered a taxi to take him to Hart Street after leaving his home in Old School Close, Banks, West Lancashire, at 11:10 BST, the court was told.

Ms Heer played footage of Rudakubana asking the driver to direct him to the address of the dance class – before she got out without paying.

The driver’s dashboard camera also captured Rudakubana walking up the stairs of the Hart Space building to the studio on the first floor, which had 26 children, Ms Lucas, and her colleague and friend Heidi Liddle inside.

Seconds later, the sound of screaming children filled the courtroom, and the footage showed girls pouring out of the Hart Space dance studio.

The victims’ families wept in the public gallery as Ms Heer played footage of three of the girls staggering into the street and collapsing – including two of the survivors and Alice.

Unlike Bebe and Elsie Dot, Alice had managed to get out of the building despite her serious injuries, but was collapsed by the car of a woman who had arrived to collect her daughter.

Inside the studio, Bebe had suffered 122 knife wounds, while Elsie Dot had 85.

Mrs Liddle and another child hid in a locked toilet on a landing outside – Mrs Liddle later described how she realized some of the children had not escaped when she heard them telling Rudakubana to stop.

Police arrived on Hart Street shortly before 11:59 BST – three officers and a member of the public, window cleaner Joel Verite, mounted the stairs to find Rudakubana standing over the body of Bebe King with a knife.

Police body camera footage showed him tackled to the floor while Mr. Verite cried out in complete shock and horror at the injuries he saw inflicted on Bebe.

A short time later Mrs Liddle and the child who was hiding with her were seen sobbing in horror and relief when police told them it was safe to come out.

One of the survivors, a seven-year-old girl called Child A, had been pulled back inside the building by Rudakubana when she tried to escape and was stabbed repeatedly before managing to stagger out into the street where she fell to the earth.

A statement written by the mother of Child A, read by Ms Heer, said her father had been “devastated” by what happened to his daughter.

“Not only has our daughter experienced the most violent, insane attack on her body, but she has also witnessed so much horror.”

The head of the dance class, Ms Lucas, who read her statement in court, looked around the packed courtroom at family members of fellow victims and survivors as she spoke.

She said: “He targeted us because we were women and girls, vulnerable and easy prey.

“To discover that he had always set out to hurt the vulnerable is beyond belief.

“For Alice, Elsie, Bebe, Heidi and the surviving girls, I survive for you.”

Statements on adverse effects was also read out by Ms Heer, with the grieving families of two of the murder victims branding their daughters’ killer “pure evil” and saying his actions had left them in “continuous pain”.

Stan Reiz KC, mitigating, told the court Rudakubana appeared to have been a “normal child” until he reached 13.

Reiz said: “There is no psychiatric evidence before the court to suggest that a mental disorder contributed to the defendant’s actions.

“But he made a transition from a normal, well-disciplined child to someone capable of committing acts of such shocking and senseless violence.”

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Goose said: “I am certain that Rudakubana had the determination to carry out these offenses and had he been able to do so he would have killed every single child – all 26 of them.”

Justice Goose confirmed that the offenses did not meet the legal definition of terrorism because he did not kill to further a political, religious or ideological cause.

However, he told the packed courtroom that whether “the motivation was terrorism or not misses the point”.

“What he did on July 29 last year has caused such shock and disgust to the whole nation that it must be regarded as being at the extreme level of criminality,” the judge said.

“His culpability and the harm he caused and intended was supreme.”

Rudakubana was convicted of three counts of murder, 10 attempted murders, one of manufacturing the biological toxin ricin and one of possessing an al-Qaeda training manual, an offense under the Terrorism Act.

In a statement after the hearing, Elsie’s family offered their gratitude to the emergency services who responded to the incident.

“We are so grateful for their bravery, compassion and strength, which should serve as an inspiration to all,” they said.

The family also thanked Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, King Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales for arranging private meetings to offer their condolences.

Earlier, the prime minister said the “thoughts of the entire nation” were with the families of Rudakubana’s victims.

Sir Keir said: “I want to say directly to the survivors, families and the community of Southport – you are not alone. We stand with you in your grief.

“What happened in Southport was an atrocity and as the judge has said, this vile offender will probably never be released.

“After one of the most harrowing moments in our country’s history, we owe it to these innocent young girls and all those affected to deliver the change they deserve.”