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‘Evil’ Southport killer jailed for minimum 52 years
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Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been sentenced to a minimum of 52 years for the “sadistic” murders of three young girls in an attack described as “shocking” and “pure evil”.
Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died while eight other children and two adults – dance class leader Leanne Lucas and businessman Jonathan Hayes – were seriously wounded.
The 18-year-old refused to come into the courtroom as he was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court, having been removed from the dock earlier due to disruptive behaviour – which included demands to see a paramedic and shouts of “I feel ill”.
Sentencing him, judge Mr Justice Goose said: “Many who have heard the evidence might describe what he did as evil, who could dispute it?”
Earlier, the details of Rudakubana’s crimes were laid out in court for the first time in graphic detail – including CCTV and dashboard camera footage from outside the Hart Space studios on Hart Street.
The court heard how, just after 11:45 BST on 29 July, Rudakubana moved through the sold-out Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop, organised by Ms Lucas, “systematically” stabbing young girls as they sat making friendship bracelets and singing along to Swift’s music.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC also described how Rudakubana gloated about the attacks as he was escorted through Copy Lane police station after his arrest – saying he was “glad the children were dead”.
The teenager had booked a taxi to take him to Hart Street after leaving his home in Old School Close, Banks, west Lancashire, at 11:10 BST, the court was told.
Ms Heer played footage of Rudakubana asking the driver to point him to the address of the dance class – before getting out without paying.
The driver’s dashboard camera also captured Rudakubana walk up the stairs of the Hart Space building to the first-floor studio which had 26 children, Ms Lucas, and her colleague and friend Heidi Liddle inside.
Seconds later, the sounds of screaming children filled the courtroom and the footage showed girls streaming out of the Hart Space dance studio.
The families of the victims cried in the public gallery as Ms Heer played footage of three of the girls staggering into the street and collapsing – including two of the survivors and Alice.
Unlike Bebe and Elsie Dot, Alice had managed to get out of the building despite her grave injuries, but collapsed by the car of a woman who had arrived to pick up her daughter.
Inside the studio, Bebe had been subjected to 122 knife wounds, while Elsie Dot had 85.
Ms Liddle and one other child were hiding in a locked toilet on a landing outside – Ms Liddle later describing how she realised that some of the children had not escaped when she heard them begging Rudakubana to stop.
The police arrived at Hart Street shortly before 11:59 BST – three officers and a member of the public, window-cleaner Joel Verite, charged up those stairs to find Rudakubana stood over the body of Bebe King holding a knife.
Police body-camera footage showed him tackled to the floor as Mr Verite shouted in utter shock and horror at the injuries he saw had been inflicted on Bebe.
A short time later Ms Liddle and the child hiding with her were seen sobbing in terror and relief as the police told them it was safe to emerge.
‘We were easy prey’
One of the survivors, a seven-year-old girl referred to as Child A, had been pulled back inside the building by Rudakubana as she tried to escape and was stabbed repeatedly, before managing to stagger into the street where she fell to the ground.
A statement written by the mother of Child A, read by Ms Heer, said her father had been “broken” by what happened to his daughter.
“Our daughter has not only experienced the most violent, frenzied attack on her body, but she’s witnessed so much horror too.”
The leader of the dance class, Ms Lucas, who read her statement in court, looked around the packed courtroom at the family members of fellow victims and survivors as she spoke.
She said: “He targeted us because we were women and girls, vulnerable and easy prey.
“To discover that he had always set out to hurt the vulnerable is beyond comprehensible.
“For Alice, Elsie, Bebe, Heidi and the surviving girls, I’m surviving for you.”
Victim impact statements were also read out by Ms Heer, in which the grieving families of two of the murder victims branded their daughters’ killer as “pure evil” and said his actions had have left them in “continuous pain”.
Stan Reiz KC, mitigating, told the court Rudakubana had appeared to have been a “normal child” until he reached 13.
Mr Reiz said: “There is no psychiatric evidence before the court that could suggest that a mental disorder contributed to the defendant’s actions.
“However, he did make a transition from a normal, well-disciplined child to someone who was capable of committing acts of such shocking and senseless violence.”
In his sentencing remarks, Justice Goose said: “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.”
Justice Goose confirmed the offences did not reach the legal definition of terrorism because he did not kill to further a political, religious or ideological cause.
However, he told the packed courtroom that whether the “motivation was terrorism or not misses the point”.
“What he did on 29 July last year has caused such shock and revulsion to the whole nation, that it must be viewed as being at the extreme level of crime”, the judge said.
“His culpability, and the harm he caused and intended, were at the highest.”
Rudakubana was sentenced for three counts of murder, 10 of attempted murder, one of producing the biological toxin ricin and one of possession of an Al Qaeda training manual, an offence under the Terrorism Act.
In a statement after the hearing, Elsie’s family offered their gratitude to the emergency services who responded to the incident.
“We are so thankful for their bravery, compassion and strength which should serve as an inspiration to everybody,” they said.
The family also thanked Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, King Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales for arranging private meetings where they offered their condolences.
Earlier, the prime minister said “the thoughts of the entire nation” were with the families of Rudakubana’s victims.
Sir Keir said: “I want to say directly to the survivors, families and community of Southport – you are not alone. We stand with you in your grief.
“What happened in Southport was an atrocity and as the judge has stated, this vile offender will likely never be released.
“After one of the most harrowing moments in our country’s history we owe it to these innocent young girls and all those affected to deliver the change that they deserve.”
Credit: BBC
Hundreds of inmates across England and Wales are expected to walk free from prison on Thursday under an expanded early release programme, amid concerns that many could be left homeless and the probation system may struggle to supervise them.
About 2,000 offenders, including domestic abusers and violent criminals, are scheduled for release over the next month, while another 3,000 will be freed in phases over the following year to ease prison overcrowding. The initial target of 6,000 was reduced following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s intervention.
However, probation officers have warned that accommodation shortages could force some former inmates onto the streets, despite evidence that securing housing after prison helps reduce reoffending.
A probation source told The Guardian: “We have a handful of places for ex-offenders and they are full. We are now looking at releasing some people straight on to the street.”
Enver Solomon, chief executive of charity Nacro, warned that homelessness after incarceration could increase the likelihood of offenders returning to prison.
Meanwhile, probation officers’ union Napo accused prison authorities of ignoring the challenges facing the service, including staff shortages, excessive workloads and problems with electronic monitoring.
Its national chair, Ben Cockburn, described the situation as absolute denial.
The expanded scheme, introduced under the 2026 Sentencing Act, allows eligible prisoners serving fixed-term sentences to qualify for release after serving one-third instead of 40%.
However, certain offenders, including those convicted in child grooming gang cases, indecent a§§ault and mansla¥ghter, are excluded.
The Ministry of Justice also announced plans to expand electronic tagging, but a recent watchdog report revealed that some offenders waited up to five months for monitoring devices, with only 55% of GPS and radio frequency tags installed on schedule.
Passengers aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel were thrown into panic on Wednesday after one of the pilots allegedly stabbed his co-pilot and attempted to take control of the aircraft.
The incident occurred aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, carrying about 150 Israeli passengers, as the Boeing 737 was travelling from Dubai to Israel.
According to flight-tracking data cited in reports, the aircraft dramatically lost approximately 13,000 feet in about 30 seconds and veered off its course, triggering fears that the plane could crash.
The situation reportedly escalated when passengers heard screams coming from the cockpit. Some passengers subsequently rushed toward the cockpit after it was opened and found one of the pilots bleeding.
A passenger who spoke to Israel’s Channel 12 described the terrifying moments aboard the aircraft.
“We heard screams on the plane. Then they opened the cockpit and we saw blood, and someone had stabbed the pilot with a pocketknife.”
The passenger added: “We prayed. There were also moments when we thought we weren’t going to make it out alive.”
According to the reports, two other pilots who were aboard the flight intervened and took control of the aircraft, preventing a potentially catastrophic outcome.
The aircraft was subsequently diverted and made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where security personnel took charge of the situation.
The passengers were later safely evacuated from the aircraft.
Israeli officials described the incident as one in which a “major disaster was narrowly avoided.”
Israeli security agencies, including the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Mossad and Shin Bet, are reportedly examining the incident as a possible act of terrorism.
The circumstances surrounding the alleged stabbing, including the identity and motive of the attacker and how the cockpit was accessed, remain subject to investigation.
NewsMediaNG will continue to monitor developments as authorities provide further details.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday issued a stern warning to Israel’s enemies, declaring that the country’s military will continue to operate on all fronts and will reach any threat anywhere, at any time.
The Prime Minister spoke during a visit to the IDF Air Force Tel Nof base, where he met with pilots and ground crews. Flanked by members of the Israeli Air Force, Netanyahu said Israel’s operations have achieved significant results in recent weeks, particularly in Gaza and Lebanon.
“I am here at the Air Force base with our heroic pilots and our outstanding ground crews. We are operating constantly on all fronts,” Netanyahu said.
He disclosed that Israeli forces have eliminated key terrorist figures in Gaza in recent days. According to the Prime Minister, two days ago, forces killed the terrorist responsible for kidnapping Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or.
Argamani, who became one of the most recognized faces of the October 7th hostage crisis after video of her abduction went viral, was rescued in a special operation in June 2024 alongside three other hostages. Or was also rescued.
“We brought them home, and we eliminated him. Last night, we eliminated the commander of Hamas’s Northern Gaza Brigade. He joined his predecessors, whom we also eliminated,” Netanyahu stated.
He said the latest operations are part of a broader offensive that has seen more than 100 terrorists eliminated in Gaza in recent weeks alone.
“All told, in recent weeks we have eliminated more than 100 terrorists — and that is just in Gaza. Of course, we are also operating in Lebanon. You remember what we did to the Ali Taher Ridge,” he asked, referring to recent Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that despite military achievements, Israel is facing mounting international and domestic pressure to scale back operations and agree to withdrawals.
“There have been tremendous achievements, but there are also tremendous pressures — pressure to withdraw, to give up the great achievements secured through the heroism of our fighters. I am not allowing that to happen, and I will not allow it to happen,” he vowed.
Netanyahu also issued a direct warning to hostile actors he said may attempt to attack Israel ahead of the country’s upcoming elections. He said intelligence indicates that Israel’s enemies may seek to exploit the election period.
“We have indications that, ahead of the elections, our enemies will try to attack us. So from here, from this Air Force base, from the long arm of the State of Israel, I have a message for them: Don’t mess with us — not now, and not ever. Our long arm will reach you anywhere, at any time,” the Prime Minister boastfully declared.
The visit to Tel Nof, one of the Israel Defense Forces’ principal air bases and home to several fighter squadrons and transport units, comes as the IDF continues to maintain high alert across multiple fronts, including Gaza, the northern border with Lebanon and Syria, and the West Bank.
Tel Nof has played a central role in Israel’s recent long-range operations, which Netanyahu described as proof of Israel’s ability to project power far beyond its borders.
The Prime Minister also praised the airmen and ground crews, calling them “heroic” and “outstanding” and credited them with securing the achievements on the battlefield.
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