Axel Rudakubana: Southport child killer sentenced to life with minimum term of 52 years

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Southport triple murderer Axel Rudakubana has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 52 years.

The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club on July 29 on the first day of his trial on Monday.

Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time of the attacks and nine days short of his 18th birthday, also pleaded guilty to the attempted murders of eight other children, dance instructor Leanne Lucas, and businessman John Hayes. Prosecutors described the killings as a “pre-meditated, planned knife attack upon multiple victims, principally young girls, intending to kill them.” The injuries inflicted on the victims were described as “difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature.”

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During the hearing, Rudakubana repeatedly disrupted proceedings, shouting, “It’s not my fault, I feel ill,” and demanding a paramedic. Mr Justice Goose, the presiding judge, ordered him to be removed from the dock for the first time after his outbursts, prompting a family member to call him a “coward.” Rudakubana was later brought back into court but was removed a second time after continuing to shout, “Don’t continue,” as the judge attempted to proceed.

Axel RudakubanaAxel Rudakubana
Axel Rudakubana | PA

Sentencing, Mr Justice Goose said: “He will serve almost the whole of his life in custody. I consider it likely he will never be released and he will be in custody for all of his life.”

He added: “Had he been 18, I make it clear I would have been compelled to impose on him life imprisonment without a minimum term. However, the law does not permit such a sentence for those offenders who are under 18 when they offend.”

He said the minimum term he would fix would be “very substantial” and added: “I consider at this time it’s likely he will never be released and will be in custody for all his life.”

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The judge said he “must accept” that there was no evidence he acted for a terrorist cause but added that his actions were the “equivalent” of terrorist matters. He said Rudakubana targeted these children for the “horrific extreme violence he was intent upon”.

The judge continued: “At 11.45am he arrived, walked into the building up the stairs where he could hear the sound of happy children, in his mind with the intention to murder as many of them as he physically could. “He wanted to try and carry out mass murder of innocent, happy young girls.”

Mr Justice Goose added: “It was such extreme violence… it is difficult to comprehend why it was done. I am sure Rudakubana had the settled determination to carry out these offences and had he been able to, he would have killed each and every child – all 26 of them.”

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