'Sadistic' Southport killer Axel Rudakubana said 'it's a good thing those children are dead'

Axel Rudakubana - who was 17-years-old at the time - carried out a frenzied knife attack during a Taylor Swift-themed children's holiday club class at the Hart Space on July 29, killing Alice Da Silva Aguiar, 9, Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7.

Speaking at his sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday (January 23), Ms Heer KC, prosecuting, said the “horrific injuries” to two of the children were “difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature”. She said that whilst under arrest at the police station he was heard to say, “It’s a good thing those children are dead… I’m so glad… so happy”.

After pleading guilty to their murders on Monday (January 20), the attempted murder of eight other children - who cannot be named for legal reasons - and to the attempted murder of dance instructor Leanne Lucas and local businessman John Hayes, on Monday, it was revealed that the teenager was well known to police and Prevent, and had an obsession with violence.

The now 18-year-old also pleaded guilty to possession of a knife - which he managed to order on Amazon - production of a biological toxin, ricin, and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism - in the form of an Al Qaeda manual.

Rudakubana was due to stand trial on Monday (January 20), with pleas of not guilty previously entered to all 16 counts on the indictment due to him refusing to speak in court. The trial was expected to last four weeks.

After changing his pleas to guilty, the media were able to reveal that Rudakubana had been to known for anti-terrorism agencies, police and other services five years prior to the murders, and excluded from Formby Range High School in 2019 after attacking a classmate.

Despite Rudakubana researching genocide and terrorism, the attack in Southport was not declared a terrorist incident, with Merseyside Police explaining that “no one ideology was uncovered” during its investigations.

Further details about the horrific events that occurred on July 29 are expected are being revealed today, as Rudakubana finds out how long he will spend behind bars.

Rudukabana arrived at Liverpool Crown Court at around 11.00am this morning (January 23) for sentencing, but the court will first hear from the prosecution and defence. He is not expected to receive a whole-life order because he was 17 at the time of the attack and the measure can normally only be imposed on criminals aged 21 and over - or those aged 18 to 20 in exceptional circumstances.

The 18-year-old entered court shortly before 12.00pm, wearing a grey prison tracksuit and a face mask. He refused to confirm his name when asked to do so. More than 30 members of the victims' families sat in the public gallery of the dock for the sentencing hearing, while others sat in an annexe.

After Mr Justice Goose went over Rudukabana’s guilty please, Ms Heer KC, prosecuting told the court he had carried out a "pre-meditated, planned knife attack upon multiple victims, principally young girls, intending to kill them”.

She continued: "Three children were killed, two of whom suffered particularly horrific injuries which are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature; and the defendant attempted to kill 10 others, inflicting a number of stab wounds upon them, including to their backs as they tried to escape."

She told the court that “a large number of images and documents were found which demonstrated that he had a long standing obsession with violence, killing and genocide”, noting: “Amongst those documents was a version of the Al-Qaeda training manual, which provides instruction on how to commit acts of terror, including with a knife and with poisons, including ricin.”

She continued: “Having researched atrocities committed by others, the evidence suggests that he set out to emulate them on the 29 July. There is no evidence that he ascribed to any particular political or religious ideology; he wasn’t fighting for a cause.

“His only purpose was to kill, and he targeted the youngest, most vulnerable in order to spread the greatest level of fear and outrage, which he succeeded in doing. Whilst under arrest at the police station after the incident, Axel Rudakubana was heard to say, “It’s a good thing those children are dead… I’m so glad… so happy’.”

Mr Justice Goose ordered Rudakubana to leave the dock as he shouted repeatedly during the hearing, saying he felt “ill” and shouting for a paramedic. As he exited the court, a victim’s family member called him a “coward”.

Outlining the evidence held by the prosecution, Ms Heer said of Axel Rudakubana's journey to the dance class: "The taxi was fitted with a dashcam. The footage shows that the defendant remained silent during the journey but upon arrival at Hart Street, he asked the driver to direct him to 34a before leaving the vehicle without paying, prompting the driver to follow him, making repeated requests for payment, which were ignored. Consequently, there is dashcam footage of his subsequent movements."

CCTV footage from inside the taxi was then played, with all family members remaining in court - despite being given the option to leave. The court was shown a picture of Axel Rudakubana in the clothes he was wearing on the day - a green hooded jumper and a surgical face mask.

Ms Heer explained that the first officers on the scene at 11.57am on July 29 found Rudukabana at “the top of the stairs” in the Hart Space. “He was holding a large, bloodied, kitchen knife, which he dropped when told to do so,” she said.

Further CCTV showed Rudakubana trying the door of the Hart Space, then knocking on it before going up a stairwell on the stairs. Minutes later screams can be heard and children can be seen running outside alongside Leanne Lucas, with some climbing into a waiting mother’s car.

One young girl could be seen trying to escape, before being pulled back inside by Rudakubana. Later, the same girl was seen stumbling out of the door with visible wounds and collapsing. Members of the local community began to help, with police footage then showing Rudakubana told to “drop the f****ng knife” before being detained and arrested.

After the court adjourned for lunch, Axel Rudakubana returned to the dock shortly after 2.00pm. Mr Justice Goose said: "I understand the defendant has actually been seen again and found to be fit, physically, to come into court for the moment, he continues to indicate that were he to do so he would disrupt proceedings."

Mr Justice Goose added that he will be removed if further disruption occurs, stating: “But, I will want him to come into court at the point of sentence."