The Prime Minister will address the nation on Tuesday morning after the Government announced an inquiry into how the state failed to identify the risk posed by the Southport killer.
Keir Starmer is set to speak at 8.30am, following an announcement a public inquiry is to be held into the murders of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport by 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana “that can get to the truth about what happened and what needs to change”.
The announcement came after it emerged Rudakubana was referred to an anti-extremism programme three times before he carried out the murders, and endangered his former teachers and peers.
Yvette Cooper confirmed the 18-year-old had “contact with a range of different state agencies throughout his teenage years” before carrying out his “meticulously planned rampage” at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Axel Rudakubana, of Banks, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to 16 offences, including three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday.
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, died following the attack at the Taylor Swift-themed class in The Hart Space on a small business park in the seaside town shortly before midday on 29 July.
He also pleaded guilty to producing the deadly poison ricin, and to the possession of an al-Qaeda training manual.
Mr Justice Goose said Rudakubana will be sentenced on Thursday.
Key Points
- Keir Starmer: State has ‘grave questions’ to answer over Southport killings
- Rudakubana referred to government counter-terror scheme several times before attack
- Rudakubana will not be handed whole life order
- How a violence-obsessed teen unleashed horror at Southport children’s dance class
- Southport child-killer Axel Rudakubana pleads guilty on first day of trial
23:37
,
Christopher McKeon
The Prime Minister will address the nation at 8.30am on Tuesday morning after the Government announced an inquiry into how the state failed to identify the risk posed by the Southport killer.
Axel Rudakubana, who pleaded guilty on Monday to murdering three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July, was referred three times to anti-extremism programme Prevent amid concerns over his fixation with violence.
But despite this and contact with other state agencies, the authorities failed to stop the attack which claimed the lives of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
Announcing the inquiry on Monday evening, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the country needed “independent answers” on Prevent and other agencies’ contact with the “extremely violent” Rudakubana and “how he came to be so dangerous”.
Following Rudakubana’s guilty pleas, Sir Keir Starmer described the 18-year-old as “vile and sick”, and said there were “grave questions to answer” on how the state “failed” to protect the three girls.
The Prime Minister added: “Britain will rightly demand answers, and we will leave no stone unturned in that pursuit.”
What happens now Southport killer has pleaded guilty?
23:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
Axel Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to all charges against him.
The 18-year-old’s trial at Liverpool Crown Court had been expected to take around four weeks and would have involved a range of evidence including from live witnesses, all heard in front of a jury.
Now that Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to all charges, this process will no longer be necessary.
However, it is standard practice in cases like this for the prosecution to present the facts of the case to the judge as part of the sentencing hearing, and the defence barrister to make submissions in mitigation.
This all takes place in open court so journalists and the public can hear the full details of the case.
In addition, because Rudakubana has pleaded guilty, there is no legal risk of prejudicing a jury trial, so the police and Crown Prosecution Service are free to comment on the case and release background information as they see fit.
How misinformation about the Southport murders sparked violent race riots across the country
22:10
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Jabed Ahmed
Southport stabbing: Everything we know about attack as Axel Rudakubana pleads guilty
22:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
Axel Rudakubana ‘ordered taxi to school he was expelled from a week before attack'
21:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
The father of a teenager who killed three girls at a Southport dance class stopped his son from taking a taxi to the school he was expelled from just a week before the attack, it is understood.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, was permanently excluded from secondary school over claims he was carrying a knife and later returned to attack someone with a hockey stick, the PA news agency understands.
Neighbours described the family as unremarkable, but it can now be reported that teachers had concerns about his behaviour from when he entered year nine.
Rudakubana was excluded from Range High School in Formby in around 2019 after telling Childline that he was being racially bullied and was bringing a knife into school to protect himself, it is understood.
It is not known if he was being bullied or if he ever brought a weapon into the school while he was a pupil.
After his exclusion, he returned to the school and assaulted someone with a hockey stick, the intended target being a former bully or someone he had a grievance with, it is understood.
It is understood Rudakubana then attended two specialists schools, The Acorns School in Lancashire and Presfield High School & Specialist College in Southport, and teachers were concerned about his behaviour.
His in-person attendance at Presfield was less than 1 per cent, it is understood.
Just a week before he went to the dance class in The Hart Space, he booked a taxi to take him to Range High School, but his father stopped him from leaving, PA understands.
What do we know about Rudakubana?
20:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
Rudakubana moved to Banks from Cardiff with his parents and older brother about a decade ago.
The family lived in a mid-terrace three-bedroom house in a newly built cul-de-sac of a dozen or so properties.
A local source said the killer did not mix with others, that the family was unremarkable and there had been no sign of anything wrong.
“Nobody knows them. It’s only the father who went to work who I’ve ever seen,” a neighbour said.
In 2018, Rudakubana appeared in a Doctor Who-themed advert for BBC Children In Need.
The now-deleted clip shows him leaving the Tardis wearing a trench coat and tie to look like the show’s former star David Tennant.
Rudakubana known to safeguarding authorities in 2019
19:46
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Jabed Ahmed
Lancashire Child Safeguarding Partnership said Axel Rudakubana became known to services in 2019.
A spokesman said: “In October 2019 Axel Rudakubana took a knife into school which he did not use, although he did physically assault a child with a hockey stick in December 2019.”
Lancashire Constabulary had several interactions with Rudakubana between October 2019 and May 2022, including responding to five calls from his home address, and on each occasion made referrals to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub, the spokesman said.
An initial assessment was undertaken by children’s social care and early help support was given.
Rudakubana was also referred to the youth justice service, completing a referral order in 2021, and was having an autism spectrum disorder assessment, according to the safeguarding partnership.
He struggled to re-integrate into school following his exclusion and was experiencing anxiety which prevented him from leaving home, the child adolescent mental health service reported.
The spokesman said: “The partnership has commissioned an independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review to look at the roles of all the agencies involved with Axel Rudakubana, interaction with him and his family and if any learning could aid our collective safeguarding practice.”
Shadow home secretary says families of Southport victims ‘deserve answers'
19:45
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Jabed Ahmed
Responding to the announcement of a public inquiry, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “We welcome the Government’s announcement of a public inquiry into the devastating actions of Axel Rudakubana in Southport.
“There are many questions that remain unanswered about what went wrong. We also need to know who in Government knew what and when, as well as why the authorities may have withheld some information from the public.
“As Jonathan Hall, Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, has said in the past being open at an early stage is important to maintaining public confidence.
“The families of Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe deserve answers, as do the people of Southport, to ensure this never happens again.”
CPS will present its full case on Thursday
19:42
,
Jabed Ahmed
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said it will present its “full case” on Axel Rudakubana to court when he is sentenced on Thursday, amid questions over why more information cannot be disclosed now he has pleaded guilty to his crimes.
Nick Price, CPS director of legal services, said: “Following his guilty pleas, Axel Rudakubana is due to be sentenced on Thursday this week for his crimes.
“The next stage of the process is for the prosecution to present our full case to the court on Thursday, including relevant details of the defendant’s past, so the judge can consider all of the evidence when passing sentence.
“This will be the point when the full details of this case will be heard by the public.
“We recognise the profound interest in these proceedings and it is important the prosecution case is presented to the court so the facts can be determined which may inform the sentence handed down.
“Our thoughts remain with the families of Elsie, Bebe, and Alice and all those whose lives were shattered by these harrowing events.”
Merseyside Police chief denies witholding information
19:42
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Jabed Ahmed
Chief Constable of Merseyside Police Serena Kennedy said “extensive and thorough inquiries” had been carried out by police and denied withholding information.
She added: “There is no doubt in my mind that Merseyside Police has conducted a thorough and extensive investigation focussed on bringing justice for the families. We have been accused of purposely withholding information, this is absolutely not the case.
“From day one we have been as open as we possibly could and have constantly been in touch with the CPS who have advised us on what information could be released. We have wanted to say much more to show we were being open and transparent, but we have been advised throughout that we couldn’t do so as it would risk justice being delivered.
“We know from our investigation that Axel Rudakubana was known to a range of services prior to the incident in Southport.
“The Lancashire Child Safeguarding Partnership has commissioned an independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review to look at the roles of all the agencies involved with Axel Rudakubana, their interaction with him and his family and to identify if there is any learning which could assist the collective safeguarding practice.
“Merseyside Police is committed to working with our partners to understand the learning from this case.”
Counter-terrorism chief confirms Rudakubana’s referral to Prevent
19:41
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Jabed Ahmed
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing Matt Jukes confirmed that three referrals about Axel Rudakubana had been made by education providers to the anti-extremism Prevent scheme between December 2019 and April 2021.
He said: “Throughout this complex and large-scale investigation, we have been relentless in our pursuit of evidence as to why he attacked defenceless children on that day.
“This has included specialist support in forensic examinations of his home address and digital devices, with witness interviews and intelligence gathering.
“Despite that we have not been able to identify why he carried out these attacks.
“Our work with Merseyside Police has uncovered a wide interest in conflict, violence, genocide, and terrorism, and that he had accessed a wide range of online material related to these topics.
“We also know that he had contact with a range of services, and that includes the counter terrorism Prevent system.”
He said information about referrals was not withheld due to “any lack of candour” but said advice was taken from the CPS so as “not to risk justice being delivered”.
Full story | Southport stabbing attacker pleads guilty to murdering three girls at Taylor Swift-themed holiday class
19:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
Home secretary announces public inquiry
19:43
,
Jabed Ahmed
The home secretary announced on Monday that there will be a public inquiry into how Rudakubana “came to be so dangerous” and why Prevent “failed to identify the terrible risk” he posed to others.
Yvette Cooper confirmed the 18-year-old had “contact with a range of different state agencies throughout his teenage years” before carrying out his “meticulously planned rampage”.
Ms Cooper said in a statement: “He was referred three times to the Prevent programme between December 2019 and April 2021 aged 13 and 14.
“He also had contact with the police, the courts, the Youth Justice system, social services and mental health services.
“Yet between them, those agencies failed to identify the terrible risk and danger to others that he posed.”
Announcing the public inquiry, the Home Secretary continued: “Although, in line with CPS advice to preserve the integrity of the prosecution, we were constrained in what we were able to say at the time, the Home Office commissioned an urgent Prevent Learning Review during the summer into the three referrals that took place and why they were closed.
“We will publish further details this week, alongside new reforms to the Prevent programme.
“But we also need more independent answers on both Prevent and all the other agencies that came into contact with this extremely violent teenager as well as answers on how he came to be so dangerous, including through a public inquiry that can get to the truth about what happened and what needs to change.”
Kemi Badenoch: ‘The public deserves the truth’
17:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
Kemi Badenoch insisted there needs to be a “complete account of who in Government knew what and when” in the case of Axel Rudakubana.
The Tory leader said in a post on X (Twitter): “As we learn more details of Axel Rudakubana’s horrific crimes, my thoughts are first and foremost with the victims’ families.
“We will need a complete account of who in Government knew what and when. The public deserves the truth.
“This case is still in court and there are, properly, limits on what can be said at this stage.
“But once it concludes on Thursday with sentencing, there are many important questions the authorities will need to answer about the handling of this case and the flow of information.”
Full report | Southport killer ‘tried to take a taxi to school that expelled him’ week before dance class atrocity
17:29
,
Jabed Ahmed
Our Crime Correspondent Amy-Clare Martin reports:
Who are the victims of Axel Rudakubana’s attack?
17:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
Three girls died at a Taylor Swift-themed class in The Hart Space on a small business park in the seaside town shortly before midday on 29 July last year.
Alice da Silva Aguiar, aged nine:
- Alice, who grew up in a Portuguese household, was dedicated to dance.
- She was pictured eagerly waiting to get into the Taylor Swift-themed event on the day she was killed.
- The animal lover enjoyed shutting the curtains and watching Disney Plus with popcorn, her parents said.
- Her father Sergio and mother Alexandra, said Alice was “our perfect dream child, everything was idyllic from the moment you arrived”.
Bebe King, aged six:
- Bebe’s parents described her as a “sweet, kind, and spirited girl”.
- A statement from Lauren and Ben King said: “Our beloved Bebe, only six-years-old, was full of joy, light, and love, and she will always remain in our hearts as the sweet, kind, and spirited girl we adore.”
- Bebe’s parents also said their older daughter, Genie, witnessed the attack and managed to escape, praising her “incredible strength and courage”.
Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven:
- At her funeral last summer, Elsie Dot Stancombe was described as “a little girl who loved a big party”.
- Her coffin, topped with a blue cuddly toy, was carried up a pink carpet as members of her cheerleading squad, Vortex Cheer, formed a guard of honour.
- Taylor Swift’s Love Story, one of her favourite songs, was performed at the end of the service, which was also attended by the family dog Bobby.
- Elsie’s family has described her as having the “ability to light up any room that she entered”.
Watch | Southport attacker Axel Rudakabana had 'sickening interest in death', says CPS chief
16:39
,
Jabed Ahmed
State has ‘grave questions’ to answer over Southport killings, says Starmer
16:23
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Jabed Ahmed
Britain will “rightly demand answers” over how the state “failed” to protect the three young girls murdered in the Southport attack, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said.
Sir Keir said: “Our thoughts are with the families of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar – and the families of everyone affected – who will be saved the ordeal of a protracted trial.
“The news that the vile and sick Southport killer will be convicted is welcome.
“It is also a moment of trauma for the nation and there are grave questions to answer as to how the state failed in its ultimate duty to protect these young girls.
“Britain will rightly demand answers. And we will leave no stone unturned in that pursuit.
“At the centre of this horrific event, there is still a family and community grief that is raw; a pain that not even justice can ever truly heal.
“Although no words today can ever truly convey the depths of that pain, I want the families to know that our thoughts are with them and everyone in Southport affected by this barbaric crime. The whole nation grieves with them.”
Farage urges home secretary to apologise to public over ‘cover-up’
16:19
,
Jabed Ahmed
Reform UK will ask Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to appear in Parliament and account for why Axel Rudakubana’s terror links were not revealed sooner, Nigel Farage has said.
Mr Farage told the PA news agency: “I asked that question 24 hours after the murders. I said why are we not being told the truth? Was this man known to the authorities? We were met with a complete wall of silence. The Prime Minister and the Home Secretary refused to engage, Liverpool police refused to engage.
“There was nothing about what I asked that would have in any way threatened contempt of court. This is basic background information that the public was entitled to.
“I was accused by mainstream media publications and senior politicians of stoking and encouraging the riots, when actually the riots were happening because of the vacuum of information and crazy conspiracy theories gaining traction online.”
He added: “I think that the Government are responsible for the most astonishing cover-up. I think that we need an apology from the Home Secretary and an explanation as to why we have been denied the basic truth.”
Asked if he would be raising this in the Commons, Mr Farage replied: “We will, as a party, table an urgent question on this. Absolutely.”
Key statistics | People sentenced for offences linked to summer riots
15:59
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Jabed Ahmed
Nearly 450 people have been sentenced for offences in connection with the riots and disorder that broke out in parts of the country after the knife attack by Axel Rudakubana at a Southport dance studio on July 29 2024 that left three girls dead.
How many people have been sent to jail?
- A total of 385 of the 446 people received immediate custodial sentences, including two under-18s.
- Of the 61 others, 16 received suspended jail sentences; 32 (all aged under 18) received referral orders; two were fined; four received community orders; four (all under 18) received detention and training orders; two were referred to a youth offender panel; and one was sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid work.
What are the longest jail sentences so far?
- The longest is nine years, which has been handed to two people.
- The average is 25 months.
What is the most common offence for which people have been sentenced?
- Violent disorder. Some 369 of the 446 people sentenced had been charged with violent disorder, either by itself or in combination with other charges.
- Other charges that have led to jail sentences include assaulting emergency workers, possession of a knife or sharp object in a public place, publishing written material to stir up racial hatred, and causing racially aggravated intentional harassment.
Which police forces account for the most number of people sentenced?
- Four police forces together account for more than half of those sentenced: Merseyside (94 people, or 21% of the total), South Yorkshire (80, or 18%), Cleveland (41, or 9%) and Avon & Somerset (40 or 9%).
- The next highest forces are Humberside (26 or 6%); Devon & Cornwall (22, 5%); Greater Manchester (21, 5%) and Staffordshire (20, 4%).
Rudakubana referred to government counter-terror scheme several times before attack
15:46
,
Jabed Ahmed
Axel Rudakubana was referred to the government’s counter-terrorism Prevent programme several times before the attack amid concerns over his fixation with violence, The Independent understands.
The Southport case has never been treated as terror-related by police as he did not appear to follow an ideology, such as Islamism or racial hatred, and instead seemed to be motivated by an interest in extreme violence.
Speaking outside court following the guilty pleas entered by Axel Rudakubana, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Ursula Doyle said: “It is clear that this was a young man with a sickening and sustained interest in death and violence. He has shown no sign of remorse.”
What happens now Southport killer has pleaded guilty?
15:39
,
Jabed Ahmed
Axel Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to all charges against him.
The 18-year-old’s trial at Liverpool Crown Court had been expected to take around four weeks and would have involved a range of evidence including from live witnesses, all heard in front of a jury.
Now that Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to all charges, this process will no longer be necessary.
However, it is standard practice in cases like this for the prosecution to present the facts of the case to the judge as part of the sentencing hearing, and the defence barrister to make submissions in mitigation.
This all takes place in open court so journalists and the public can hear the full details of the case.
In addition, because Rudakubana has pleaded guilty, there is no legal risk of prejudicing a jury trial, so the police and Crown Prosecution Service are free to comment on the case and release background information as they see fit.
Rudakubana will not be handed whole life order
15:19
,
Jabed Ahmed
Axel Rudakubana is not expected to be handed a whole life order when he is sentenced on Thursday for the Southport attacks.
A whole life order is a sentence considered for the most serious crimes which means prisoners will die in jail. They will never be considered for release unless there are exceptional compassionate grounds to warrant it.
But it is understood judges can only impose a whole life order on criminals who were aged 21 and over at the time of the offence, with the punishment only considered for those aged 18 to 20 in exceptional circumstances.
Rudakubana was 17 years old when he murdered three girls and tried to kill several others in a rampage at a dance class in Southport in July.
Southport stabbing: Everything we know about attack as Axel Rudakubana pleads guilty
14:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
My colleague Albert Toth reports:
Axel Rudakubana ‘ordered taxi to school he was expelled from a week before attack'
14:47
,
Jabed Ahmed
The father of a teenager who killed three girls at a Southport dance class stopped his son from taking a taxi to the school he was expelled from just a week before the attack, it is understood.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, was permanently excluded from secondary school over claims he was carrying a knife and later returned to attack someone with a hockey stick, the PA news agency understands.
Neighbours described the family as unremarkable, but it can now be reported that teachers had concerns about his behaviour from when he entered year nine.
Rudakubana was excluded from Range High School in Formby in around 2019 after telling Childline that he was being racially bullied and was bringing a knife into school to protect himself, it is understood.
It is not known if he was being bullied or if he ever brought a weapon into the school while he was a pupil.
After his exclusion, he returned to the school and assaulted someone with a hockey stick, the intended target being a former bully or someone he had a grievance with, it is understood.
It is understood Rudakubana then attended two specialists schools, The Acorns School in Lancashire and Presfield High School & Specialist College in Southport, and teachers were concerned about his behaviour.
His in-person attendance at Presfield was less than 1 per cent, it is understood.
Just a week before he went to the dance class in The Hart Space, he booked a taxi to take him to Range High School, but his father stopped him from leaving, PA understands.
Rudakubana pictured following guilty plea
14:34
,
Jabed Ahmed
What do we know about Rudakubana?
14:26
,
Jabed Ahmed
Rudakubana moved to Banks from Cardiff with his parents and older brother about a decade ago.
The family lived in a mid-terrace three-bedroom house in a newly built cul-de-sac of a dozen or so properties.
A local source said the killer did not mix with others, that the family was unremarkable and there had been no sign of anything wrong.
“Nobody knows them. It’s only the father who went to work who I’ve ever seen,” a neighbour said.
In 2018, Rudakubana appeared in a Doctor Who-themed advert for BBC Children In Need.
The now-deleted clip shows him leaving the Tardis wearing a trench coat and tie to look like the show’s former star David Tennant.
Full story | Southport stabbing attacker pleads guilty to murdering three girls at Taylor Swift-themed holiday class
14:10
,
Jabed Ahmed
Our Crime Correspondent Amy-Clare Martin and Andy Gregory report:
Southport MP: ‘There is no good news story here’
13:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
The MP for Southport said there is “no good news” after Axel Rudakubana pleaded guilty to murdering three girls at a dance class in the town.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Patrick Hurley said he is “very pleased” the families of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, will not be put through the “mental torture” of a trial.
“There is no good news story here,” Mr Hurley said.
“It’s just a sense of, we are reaching a sense of finality but this isn’t a case of celebration or jubilation.
“This is just a case of: make sure we remember the victims and the fact that three little girls did lose their lives and were killed and murdered that day.”
Pictured | Rudakubana wears mask in court as he pleads guilty
13:46
,
Jabed Ahmed
Pictured | Three children killed during Southport attack
13:37
,
Jabed Ahmed
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, died following the attack at the Taylor Swift-themed class in The Hart Space on a small business park in the seaside town shortly before midday on 29 July.
MP for Southport says there is ‘surprise and shock’ across town over guilty plea
13:27
,
Jabed Ahmed
Southport “will never be the same” after three girls were murdered at a dance class in the town last summer, the MP has said.
Patrick Hurley, the MP for Southport, told BBC Radio 5 Live there is “surprise and shock” across the town after Axel Rudakubana, who was due to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court today, changed his pleas to guilty after having previously denied murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
Mr Hurley said: “The community has been healing, the town will obviously never be the same as it has been prior to July.
“There is surprise and shock at the development this morning but we are all hoping throughout the town that the families get the justice and the outcome they need.
“Everybody across the town and the families who are most closely involved and the families of the victims were bracing themselves for the next four weeks.
“It was never going to be an easy time for anybody here.”
Prosecutor: ‘A scene of the darkest horror as Axel Rudakubana carried out his meticulously planned rampage’
13:16
,
Jabed Ahmed
Speaking outside court following the guilty pleas entered by Axel Rudakubana, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Ursula Doyle said: “This was an unspeakable attack – one which left an enduring mark on our community and the nation for its savagery and senselessness.
“At the start of the school holidays, a day which should have been one of carefree innocence; of children enjoying a dance workshop and making friendship bracelets, became a scene of the darkest horror as Axel Rudakubana carried out his meticulously planned rampage.
“It is clear that this was a young man with a sickening and sustained interest in death and violence. He has shown no sign of remorse.
“The prosecution was determined to prove his guilt and I am deeply grateful that today’s plea has spared the families at the heart of this case the pain of having to relive their ordeal through a trial.
“Today, our thoughts are with all those whose lives were altered by what happened on that day.
“Most of all, we think of Elsie, Bebe, and Alice – the three beautiful young girls whose lives were cut short – and wish strength and courage to the families who loved and cherished them.”
Nigel Farage reacts to guilty plea
13:16
,
Jabed Ahmed
Responding to Axel Rudakubana’s guilty plea, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Axel Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to murder and a terrorism charge.
“Will we ever find out the whole truth?”
Parents of youngest victim say ‘no words can describe our devastation'
13:06
,
Andy Gregory
Rudukabana’s youngest victim, six-year-old Bebe King, died after attending what had been advertised as a fun morning of making bracelets, dancing to Taylor Swift and yoga.
Speaking of their heartbreak, her devastated parents said: “No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as try to deal with the loss of our little girl Bebe.”
How a violence-obsessed teen unleashed horror at Southport children’s dance class
12:50
,
Andy Gregory
When Axel Rudakubana got into a taxi in summer last year, the country had no clue of the horrors he was about to unleash on the town of Southport - and the resulting backlash which would spread across the UK in the following weeks.
The then 17-year-old travelled by taxi to the Hart Space, where he ambushed a class of children aged between six and 11 who were starting their summer holidays at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Merseyside.
The frenzied attack, launched at around 11.50am on 29 July, was described as like a scene from a disaster film when he targeted the girls while a teacher and a grandfather nearby bravely tried to defend the screaming children.
Our crime correspondent Amy-Clare Martin reports:
How Rudakubana entered guilty plea on opening day of trial
12:37
,
Andy Gregory
Axel Rudakubana’s shock change of plea meant the loved ones of his young victims were not present in court to hear him admit his guilt.
And his guilty pleas came as a surprise to the judge, lawyers and press crammed into a packed courtroom at Liverpool Crown Court.
The hearing, expected to deal with legal matters at the start of a four-week trial, instead lasted little more than 15 minutes.
After trial judge Mr Justice Goose came into court at 11.27am, unusually, Stan Reiz KC, defending Rudakubana, asked permission to approach the defendant in the dock.
After a brief, inaudible interaction with the defendant, Mr Reiz asked for the charges to be put again to Rudakubana.
Wearing a face mask, seated with his head almost touching his knees, Rudakubana replied, “guilty” to each of the 16 counts on the indictment.
How did riots erupt after Southport attack?
12:35
,
Andy Gregory
Unrest erupted across the country in the wake of the Southport attack, with mosques and hotels used for asylum seekers among the locations targeted.
In the hours after the stabbing, information spread online which claimed the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK on a small boat.
The day after the attack, thousands turned out for a peaceful vigil in Southport, but later a separate protest outside a mosque in the town became violent, with missiles thrown at police and vans set on fire.
More than 1,000 arrests linked to disorder across the country have since been made and hundreds charged and jailed.
What do we know about Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana?
12:19
,
Andy Gregory
A profile of Axel Rudakubana’s father, printed in local newspaper the Southport Visiter in 2015 said he was originally from Rwanda, a country that suffered a deadly genocide in the early 1990s, and moved to