Southport: Axel Rudakubana Pleads Guilty To Murder Of Three Children

Hi and welcome to this JK B'HAM Crime Report for VPN: REGIONAL NETWORKS:

In a last-minute change, Axel Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to all the charges he was facing. The guilty pleas cover the knife attack at a Taylor Swift themed dance class which claimed the lives of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe on 29 July 2024, and charges of producing ricin and possessing an Al Qaeda training manual. Sentencing will take place on Thursday, with a life sentence being a mandatory punishment for murder.

The trial had been set to go ahead with not guilty pleas being entered on Rudakubana’s behalf but with no defence being offered. There had not been a plan to use a defence claiming diminished responsibility due to mental illness.

However, as trial proceedings were about to begin this morning at Liverpool Crown Court, Stan Reisz KC, defending, requested that the charges be read to his client again. In response, Axel broke his silence to pronounce one word, pleading guilty to each charge. Rudakubana thereby admitted the murder of three young girls and the attempted murders of eight more children and two adults in July, as well as producing ricin and possessing a terrorist training manual.

The judge told him it was "inevitable" that he would impose a life sentence in sentencing on Thursday.

Following the guilty pleas, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Ursula Doyle gave a statement outside Liverpool Crown Court on behalf of the CPS:

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 [..] became a scene of the darkest horror as Axel Rudakubana carried out his meticulously planned rampage.

She described Rudakubana as “a young man with a sickening and sustained interest in death and violence” and who “has shown no remorse“.

She went on to express relief that the families would be spared the spectacle of a lengthy trial and expressed sympathies with all those dealing with this profound loss.

Axel will appear in court for sentencing on Thursday.

ACCESS TO THE LAW: Understanding the Crime and Sentencing

As part of our campaign to improve citizens’ access and understanding of UK Criminal law, we will be explaining the relevant UK legislation surrounding any case law relevant to our articles:

ACCESS TO THE LAW: Understanding Sentencing for Murder

Under UK law, a life sentence is mandatory for murder convictions. The judge will set a minimum term before the offender is eligible for parole, based on sentencing guidelines.

For the murder of a child involving significant planning, the starting point for the minimum term is 30 years. Aggravating factors, such as targeting multiple victims and the terrorism-related charges in Axel Rudakubana’s case, could lead to a longer minimum term.

However, as Rudakubana was 17 at the time of the attack, he cannot receive a whole life order, which would exclude the possibility of parole entirely. Instead, the court is likely to impose a life sentence with a minimum term of at least 30 years, reflecting the severity of the crimes and their devastating impact.

Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.

Jason King

Birmingham City-Desk

Twitter (X) @JasonKingNews

Jasonkingnews@gmail.com