A disturbing mugshot of Axel Rudakubana – who stabbed three little girls to death in Southport last year – has been released by police after he pleaded guilty.
After he broke into a Taylor Swift-themed dance class during the school holidays last year and launched a frenzied knife attack, the 18-year-old today pleaded guilty to the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, reports the Mirror.
The then 17-year-old took a taxi to the Hart Space community centre at around noon on July 29, 2024, where the class was being held around five miles from his home. He murdered the three young girls and also admitted to the attempted murders of another eight children, as well as two adults, Leanne Lucas and Jonathan Hayes.
The families and wider community were left devastated and triggered widespread riots after misinformation about the attacker’s identity spread widely on social media. The 18-year-old admitted all offences following last year’s attack, appearing at Liverpool crown court this morning.
Rudakubana, who had been reported to the government’s Prevent counter extremism scheme at least three times, appeared in the the dock dressed in a grey prison issue jumper with a blue medical face mask on. He also pleaded guilty to production of a biological toxin, namely ricin, and possession of information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, namely a PDF file entitled “Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual”.
When asked to stand in court today, Rudakubana originally remained seated. He also stayed silent when asked to speak his name twice. Stanley Reiz KC, defending, said: “The defendant hasn’t identified himself but there isn’t any dispute that the man in the dock is Axel Rudakubana and he can hear what’s being said.” Mr Justice Goose asked: “He’s not choosing to speak.”
Mr Reiz replied: “That’s correct.”
Justice Goose told him: “Axel Rudakubana you can hear me I know. You have now pleaded guilty to this indictment to each of the charges upon it. The next stage is for sentence. That will take place on Thursday. In the meantime you must keep in touch with your barristers, solicitors and the intermediary in order for you to receive any advice or assistance.
“You will understand it’s inevitable that a life sentence will be imposed upon you. In the meantime, you go with the officers and be produced at that hearing at 11 o’clock on Thursday. Take him down.”
Rudakubana was escorted to the cell by the dock officers. He will be sentenced on Thursday.
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