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Home » Southport Killer Is Jailed For 52 Years For Monstrous Attack On Taylor Swift Dance Class: Cowardly Axel Rudakubana Refuses To Face Victims’ Families – As Chilling Footage Shows His Taxi Journey To Murder Three Little Girls

Southport Killer Is Jailed For 52 Years For Monstrous Attack On Taylor Swift Dance Class: Cowardly Axel Rudakubana Refuses To Face Victims’ Families – As Chilling Footage Shows His Taxi Journey To Murder Three Little Girls

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was today sentenced to life with a minimum of 52 years for the murder of three young girls during his monstrous attack on a Taylor Swift themed dance class.

The violence-obsessed 18-year-old cowardly refused to face his victim’s families, remaining in his cell as the judge handed down his sentence – after being pulled from the dock twice while complaining he was ‘ill’.

Mr Justice Goose said it was ‘highly likely’ Rudakubana will never be released from prison after murdering Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and attempting to murder ten others.

He was also found in possession of ricin that an expert said could have killed 12,500 people with more purification.

Disturbing footage played in court earlier today shows the fiend skulking silently in the back seat of a taxi on the way to the dance class – his cold, demonic eyes just visible over a blue facemask.

He is then seen calmly walking towards the Hart Space building where the dance class was being held. After finding the main door was closed, he enters through another door and up the stairs.

Witnesses described screams coming from inside the building within 30 seconds as the deranged teenager began targeting the girls inside.

Sentencing Rudakubana this afternoon, Mr Justice Goose said: ‘Many will describe what he did as evil. Who could dispute it? In any view, this was the most extreme, shocking and serious crime.

‘I’m satisfied that had he been able to, he would have killed each and every child, all 26 of them and any adults who got in the way. It’s only because some managed to escape that prevented many more from being murdered.’

The judge said he was unable to give Rudakubana a whole life tariff because he was days away from his 18th birthday when he carried out the atrocity. The killer would have to go before the Parole Board before he is ever released.

He received 13 life sentences. He was also given a 12-year jail sentence for production of ricin, and 18 month sentences for possession of the knife and Al Qaeda manual.

In other updates following a deeply disturbing day in court –

  • Rudakubana crowed ‘I’m glad they’re dead’ after murdering three young girls;
  • Phoned Childline in October 2019 to ask: ‘What should I do if I want to kill somebody?’;
  • Victims’ families spoke of the horror of losing their beloved children to ‘pure evil’ Rudakubana;
  • Slammed the ‘systemic failures’ which meant warning signs about the him were missed;

Axel Rudakubana skulks in the back of a taxi on his way to murder three young girls

Rudakubana is then seen walking towards the Hart Space building where the dance class was being held

Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, was one of the three children killed in the knife attack in Southport

Bebe King, six, was also killed in the knife attack at The Hart Space in Southport last July

Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, was among the three little girls killed in the attack in Southport

The murderer pictured in a police mugshot

Rudakubana admitted, on Monday this week, the attempted murder of eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as well as class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.

He further pleaded guilty to possession of a knife on the day of the attack, production of a biological toxin – ricin – on or before July 29, and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.

Family members were given the option to leave court at today’s sentencing hearing ahead of CCTV being played, but all remained in the court – though some left as details of pathological evidence began to be read out.

Earlier during the hearing, they sat through horrific details about Rudakubana’s sadism and utter lack of remorse, with the teenager saying ‘I’m glad they’re dead’ after being arrested.

As the prosecution read their opening note, Rudakubana turned to a dock officer and said: ‘I’m not fine, I feel ill.’ He shouted repeatedly: ‘I need to speak to a paramedic, I feel ill. You’re not giving me any support, judge, I feel ill.’

When the judge tried to carry on with the case, Rudakubana exclaimed: ‘Don’t continue. I can’t remain quiet. I haven’t eaten for 10 days. I feel ill. I’m not going to remain quiet.’

A family member shouted ‘coward’ as Rudakubana left the dock after Mr Justice Goose ordered officers to take him out of court.

The prosecution then continued reading their opening, with the judge saying Rudakubana would be returned to court to receive his sentence.

Rudakubana was removed from the dock for a second time this afternoon as the hearing resumed, after he began to shout.

After sitting quietly for a short period with his head lowered he shouted: ‘Judge! I feel really ill, I need to be seen by a paramedic.’

The knife that was used in the attack

A court sketch showing Rudakubana during the sentencing hearing

Rudakubana waiting at a bus stop before the attack last summer

When there was no response, Rudakubana shouted: ‘Judge! Judge! Judge! I need to be seen by a paramedic.’

Mr Justice Goose asked dock officers to remove Rudakubana, adding: ‘He has been seen by two teams of paramedics, both of whom agreed he is fit.’

The parents of the murdered and injured girls told of their enduring pain in victim impact statements read out to the court.

Jenny Stancombe, mother of Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, one of the three girls who died, told how her family had lost their ‘best friend’ through an act of ‘pure evil’.

Mrs Stancombe continued, in a statement read out by prosecutor Deanna Heer KC: ‘We are not going to stand here and list everything you have taken away from us, because we refuse to give you the satisfaction of hearing it.

‘We will not let you know anything about her because you don’t deserve to know the extraordinary person she was. You know what you have done and we hope the weight of that knowledge haunts you every day.’

The parents of another of the murdered girls, nine-year-old victim Alice da Silva Aguiar, said: ‘Life without Alice is not living at all. It’s a state of permanent numbness.

The couple kept up hope while their daughter fought for her life over 14 hours of treatment in hospital but ‘once she lost her fight, we lost our lives’.

Sergio and Alexandra Aguiar said they cannot even bring themselves to see pictures or videos of their daughter – but comfort themselves by keeping

‘Now, we are in constant pain’, the couple said in a statement read by Ms Heer.

The couple said they feel like they are ‘stuck in a 5D horror movie’ and that the ‘centre of our universe has been taken’, adding: ‘How can we ever smile if Alice is not there?’

Reading her own victim impact statement to the court this afternoon, class instructor Ms Lucas said: ‘As a 36-year-old woman, I cannot stay in my own home alone.

‘As a 36-year-old woman I cannot go to work. As a 36-year-old woman I cannot walk down the street without holding my breath as I bypass a person and then glance back to see if they’ve attempted to stab me.

‘As a 36-year-old woman I cannot enter a public place without considering how I will get out in the event of an emergency.

‘As a 36-year-old woman I cannot give myself compassion or accept praise, as how can I live knowing I survived when children died.’

Children who survived the attack also recalled the horror they went through.

Turning to Rudakubana, one said: ‘I saw you in your green hoodie and facemask. The thing I remember about you is your eyes. You didn’t look human, you look possessed.’

A second girl who suffered life changing injuries told how she feared she was going to die ‘because I was in so much pain and there was so much blood’.

The victim, who was 10 at the time and initially thought Rudakubana was a caretaker, said she still has nightmares ‘one or twice a week’ and felt guilty wondering if there was anything she could have done to help the three girls who were murdered.

Another girl who was attacked while attending the dance class with her sister and was stabbed in the arm and back told how ‘no sane person could do that’ and, addressing Rudakubana, added: ‘It’s sickening what you did, going in there into a room full of defenceless children.

‘Give me a reason for what you did. Arming yourself with a weapon and stabbing children. I hope you spend the rest of your life knowing that we think you’re a coward.’

A prison van containing Rudakubana arriving at Liverpool Crown Court for his sentencing

Earlier, Deanna Heer said Rudakubana had carried out a ‘pre-meditated, planned knife attack upon multiple victims, principally young girls, intending to kill them’ and inflicted injuries that were ‘difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature’.

Ms Heer said at today’s hearing that while Rudakubana was being held in a custody suite after the killings, he told officers: ‘It’s a good thing those children are dead… I’m so glad… so happy.’

In her opening of the case, Ms Heer told the court: ‘Three children were killed, two of whom suffered particularly horrific injuries which are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature; and the defendant attempted to kill 10 others, inflicting a number of stab wounds upon them, including to their backs as they tried to escape.’

Ms Heer told the court that images and documents were found on Rudakubana’s devices ‘which demonstrated that he had a long standing obsession with violence, killing and genocide’.

‘Amongst those documents was a version of the Al-Qaeda training manual, which provides instruction on how to commit acts of terror, including with a knife and with poisons, including ricin,’ she added.

A number of weapons were also recovered in searches of his home, including the biological toxin ricin which the defendant had produced in his bedroom.

Ms Heer added: ‘Having researched atrocities committed by others, the evidence suggests that he set out to emulate them on the 29 July. There is no evidence that he ascribed to any particular political or religious ideology; he wasn’t fighting for a cause.

‘His only purpose was to kill, and he targeted the youngest, most vulnerable in order to spread the greatest level of fear and outrage, which he succeeded in doing.

‘Whilst under arrest at the police station after the incident, Axel Rudakubana was heard to say, ‘It’s a good thing those children are dead… I’m so glad… so happy’.’

The court also heard details of how Rudakubana called Childline asking: ‘What should I do if I want to kill somebody?’

During the call on October 4 2019, ‘he explained that he hated someone at school who bullied him. He felt angry and wanted to kill them,’ Ms Heer said.

She added: ‘He said he had taken a knife to school but would only use it if the person really annoyed him.

What is a rare whole life order and why will Axel Rudakubana be spared one?

A whole life order is the most severe punishment a judge can give out in England and Wales.

It means the offender will never be released from prison, except in exceptional compassionate circumstances.

The tariff is saved for the most heinous murderers, including serial killer Levi Bellfield and former Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard.

It differs from a life sentence, which means the offender must serve a minimum term in prison before they are eligible for parole.

Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana is not expected to receive a whole-life order because he was 17 at the time of the attack and the measures can normally only be imposed on criminals aged 21 or over.

They are usually only considered for those aged 18 to 20 in exceptional circumstances.

A whole life sentence is seen as too severe and not appropriate for a young offender.

‘As a result, a referral was made to the police, who visited the defendant. He confirmed that he had taken a knife to school and added that he thought he would use it if he became angry.

‘The school was also informed. By this time, the defendant had been temporarily excluded. When he admitted taking a knife to school on about 10 previous occasions, his exclusion was made permanent.’

Ms Heer revealed Rudakubana was referred to the Multi-Agency Safeguard Hub (MASH) and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), then enrolled at a pupil referral unit on October 17.

The barrister went on: ‘During his admission meeting, he was asked why he had taken a knife to school. He replied, ‘To use it’.

‘On the 11th December 2019, the defendant booked a taxi to take him to The Range High School. He had with him a hockey stick which he used to attack another pupil. When the police were called, a kitchen knife was found in his backpack.

‘He was subsequently charged with and pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of a bladed article. A referral order was imposed.’

Describing what happened at the Hart Space, Ms Heer said dance teachers Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle were with children who were gathered around tables making bracelets singing along to Taylor Swift songs.

Rudakubana had taken a taxi from his family home in Banks, five miles from Southport.

He did not speak during the journey and left without paying, prompting the driver to follow him asking for payment.

Colin Parry, the owner of a neighbouring garage, told Rudakubana he needed to pay ‘but the defendant’s response was ‘what are you going to do about it?’, Ms Heer said.

Rudakubana went up the stairs within the Hart Space building.

Ms Heer went on: ‘Within 30 seconds, screaming could be heard coming from within, followed very shortly afterwards by children fleeing the building.’

The prosecutor gave details of a statement from Ms Lucas saying she had seen Rudakubana outside in a green hoodie and mask as she opened a window due to it being a hot day.

There was a heavy police presence at Liverpool Crown Court ahead of Rudakubana’s sentencing

Ms Lucas then described how he walked into the upstairs room where the dance class was happening.

Ms Heer said: ‘Without saying a word, he grabbed the child nearest to him from behind and put his arm around her. She (had been) at a table making a bracelet. Then he moved to a second child, then a third. He moved quickly through the room without saying anything.

‘It was only when she (Ms Lucas) reached her and she felt the knife that she realised he was armed and stabbing the children.

‘She recalls seeing a flash of the defendant’s green top as he chased her. She was frightened they wouldn’t be able to get out quickly enough. She told (the children): ‘run away, run away’.

The court then heard evidence from John Hayes, a businessman based in neighbouring premises within the Hart Space building.

He heard screaming and went out of his office to be confronted by Rudakubana on the landing, holding a knife while standing over the body of one of the girls, Bebe King, six.

Ms Heer said Mr Hayes ‘backed away’ followed by Rudakubana.

Ms Heer said: ‘He followed him into his office. The defendant swiped at him. Mr Hayes tried to grab the knife and the defendant stabbed him in the leg’.

Mr Hayes then collapsed.

Outside, window cleaners Marcin Tyjon and Joel Verite ‘saw children running and a woman covered in blood’.

Mr Verite picked up Alice da Silva Aguiar and took her to Mr Tyjon, who tried to revive her before emergency services could arrive.

Mr Verite went inside Hart Space to try to rescue children but ‘retreated when he saw the defendant holding a large knife’.

The court heard that ‘a number of people dialled 999’ and the first police to attend, at 11.57am, were Sergeant Gregory Gillespie and Sergeant Luke Holden, who was armed with a taser.

Ms Heer said: ‘At the top of the stairs, they saw the defendant. He was standing over the body of Bebe King, who had visible stab injuries, and was holding a large bladed knife.’

Rudakubana was told to drop the knife ‘and he did so’, Ms Heer added.

The officers moved into the room where the dance class was being held and found the body of Elsie Dot Stancombe on the floor.

The court was shown a series of CCTV footage showing the defendant arriving and children fleeing.

In one clip, an eight year-old girl who survived, could be seen being pulled back inside by Rudakubana.

A further clip showed police finding one child and dance teacher Ms Liddle crying in the toilet.

The police officer tells Ms Liddle: ‘Listen, listen, listen, you’re safe.’

For more on this case, search for ‘The Trial: The Southport Dance class’ wherever you get your podcasts now.