A Sky News presenter was left struggling to speak and broke down in tears as she reported on the Southport killer’s sentencing hearing.
Presenter Sarah-Jane Mee struggled to hold it together as she described the horrors of the attack carried by Axel Rudakubana, who is set to learn his fate after admitting to murdering three young girls at a Taylor Swift dance class in the Merseyside town last year , the Mirror reports.
After he entered the dock at Liverpool Crown Court prosecutors said the injuries suffered by his victims were “difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature.”
As the Mirror reports, images and documents found in his home “demonstrated he had a longstanding obsession with violence and genocide,” the prosecutor added. “His only purpose was to kill and he targeted the youngest and most vulnerable in our society.”
Now 18-year-old, Rudakubana, pleaded guilty to all 16 offences he faced on the first day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday. Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, all tragically died at The Hart Space on a small business park in the seaside town on July 29, 2024.
The evil killer admitted to their murders as well as the attempted murders of eight other children, who for legal reasons cannot be named. He also admitted to the attempted murder of class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.
Rudakubana interrupted the hearing on Thursday to yell out ‘I feel ill!’ He was heard shouting “I’m not fine, I feel ill” in the dock. He added: “I need to speak to a paramedic because I feel ill. They’re not giving me any support. I feel ill.”
Liverpool Crown Court also heard Rudakubana said “I’m glad they’re dead” as he was held in a custody suite after killing three girls in a knife attack at a Southport dance class.
Sky news presenter Sarah-Jane was left in tears as she reported on the upsetting details. She described how witnesses found the attack standing over the body of Bebe King “holding a kitchen knife”. Sarah-Jane could be heard saying “Ugh, just going to take a breath after that, and she could be heard breathing deeply as silence fell over the live broadcast.
“Right, sorry it’s just so distressing isn’t it?,” Sarah added. “Look we’re here for those girls and their families so try not to get upset because it is such an important day for them and this horror that came to their door.”
Before breaking down, she said: “One of the window cleaners picked her up and carried her out of the building, screaming at the extent of her injuries. The court hears police arrived at the scene to people in a state of panic.”
While talking to the Chief Executive of the Liverpool Muslim Council, she took a deep breathe before saying: “There’s some distressing details coming out, it’s upsetting for me to read it out…”
Viewers at home rushed to social media to comment on it, with one user saying: “So awful to hear @SkyNews presenter @skysarahjane break down.. Understandable, it’s horrific…. .” Another said: “I think the Sky news presenter has just broken down. The horrors being described is unreal.” One user posted: “Sky News presenter in tears. Horrendous stuff to hear.”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond.Sign up to our daily newsletter.