Southport Stabbing: Everything we know about attack as Axel Rudakubana pleads guilty
Axel Rudakubana has admitted to killing three girls at a dance class in Southport on the first day of his trial. The 18-year-old was to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday charged with 16 offences, including three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.
Dramatically changing his plea at the last moment, the teenager admitted to all the charges. He pleaded guilty to the murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine. He also admitted to possessing terrorist material and producing the toxin ricin.
Rudakubana will be sentenced on Thursday, Mr Justice Goose said in court. He told the teenager that it would be inevitable that a life sentence equivalent would be imposed upon him.
The judge also apologised to the families of the victims who, because of Rudakubana’s surprise guilty plea, were not in court to see his admission.
Here’s everything we know about the devastating Southport attack of July 2024.
Southport stabbing: Everything we know about attack as Axel Rudakubana pleads guilty