Southport killer referred to anti-terror scheme 3 times before massacre – as ‘sickening interest in death’ is revealed
SOUTHPORT terrorist Axel Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to murdering three girls at a Taylor Swift dance class.
The 18-year-old, who had a "sickening interest in death", knifed Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, to death on July 29.
It can now be revealed that "ticking time-bomb" Rudakubana was reported to anti-terror programme Prevent three times before the massacre.
The monster was first flagged in 2019 when he was aged just 13 after showing a morbid fascination with a school massacre.
Rudakubana pleaded guilty to 16 charges as:
- The victims' families were not in court to see his plea
- He showed violent behaviour while in high school
- He was reported to anti-terror programme three times
- Footage shows him pacing before getting taxi to dance class
- Prosecutor described attack as "unspeakable" after pleas
Rudakubana, who also researched the 2017 terror attacks in London, was found three times not to pose a terrorism risk.
Nigel Farage has now accused Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the police of a "gigantic cover up".
The PM said the UK will "rightly demand answers” over the horror as he today vowed the government will leave "no stone unturned in that pursuit".
He added: "The news that the vile and sick Southport killer will be convicted is welcome.
"It is also a moment of trauma for the nation, and there are grave questions to answer as to how the state failed in its ultimate duty to protect these young girls.
"At the centre of this horrific event, there is still a family and community grief that is raw, a pain that not even justice can ever truly heal.
"Although no words today can ever truly convey the depths of that pain, I want the families to know that our thoughts are with them and everyone in Southport affected by this barbaric crime.
"The whole nation grieves with them."
Rudakubana was due to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court today charged with three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder.
He also admitted two terror offences - but cops are still not treating the attack as terror-related despite the previous concerns over his behaviour.
The teen dramatically pleaded guilty to all 16 charges against him in a surprise development even the judge was not aware of.
Sadly, the victims' families were not in court to see his plea as it was assumed the trial would officially open tomorrow.
Among the charges were possession of information "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, contrary to Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000".
He also pleaded guilty to one charge of the "production of a biological toxin, namely ricin, contrary to Section 1 of the Biological Weapons Act 1974".
This relates to an Al-Qaeda manual and ricin that were found at his home following the attack.
It was the first time Rudakubana has spoken out loud in court after so far refusing to open his mouth throughout proceedings.
Speaking through a surgical mask, he replied "guilty" as all 16 counts were put to him one-by-one.
Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Ursula Doyle said: "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; of children enjoying a dance workshop and making friendship bracelets, became a scene of the darkest horror as Axel Rudakubana carried out his meticulously planned rampage.
"It is clear that this was a young man with a sickening and sustained interest in death and violence. He has shown no sign of remorse.
"The prosecution was determined to prove his guilt and I am deeply grateful that today's plea has spared the families at the heart of this case the pain of having to relive their ordeal through a trial.
"Today, our thoughts are with all those whose lives were altered by what happened on that day.
"Most of all, we think of Elsie, Bebe, and Alice - the three beautiful young girls whose lives were cut short - and wish strength and courage to the families who loved and cherished them."
What did Rudakubana admit and what happens now?
THE teen was due to stand trial today where details about the attack would have been heard for the first time in court.
As he pleaded guilty, that information will now be revealed on Thursday instead at his sentencing hearing.
As with most court cases, if a defendant admits the charges, the sentencing does not usually take place on the same day.
This allows prosecutors and defence lawyers to submit relevant reports that will be taken into consideration by the judge.
Once the hearing is underway, the prosecution will open the case - meaning all the information not previously heard will be read out.
Mr Justice Goose warned Rudakubana it is "inevitable" he will receive a life sentence.
These are the 16 counts Rudakubana pleaded guilty to:
- Three counts of murder
- Eight counts of attempted murder in relation to eight other children
- Two counts of attempted murder against Leanne Lucas and Jonathan Hayes
- One count of possession of a bladed article in a public place, namely a kitchen knife with a curved blade
- One count of production of a biological toxin, namely ricin
- One of possession of information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, namely a PDF file entitled "Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual".
The horror unfolded on July 29 as children enjoyed a Taylor Swift Yoga and Dance Workshop at a community centre.
Chilling footage showed the killer pacing outside his home before being picked up in a taxi.
Just 30 minutes later, Rudakubana stormed into the class and began senselessly attacking terrified children and adults at random.
Hero dance teacher Leanne Lucas was knifed in the arms, neck and back as she used her body to shield young girls from the knifeman.
Her colleague Heidi Liddle escaped uninjured after bravely locking some of the children inside a toilet.
Another adult, Jonathan Hayes, was stabbed in the leg as he tried to fend off the attacker after running into the class when he heard screams.
SCHOOL MASSACRE FEARS
Chillingly, just one week before the attack, Rudakubana is feared to have plotted a similar attack on his old school.
He booked a taxi - the same way he travelled to the Taylor Swift-themed dance class - under a fake name from his home to take him to the Range High School.
It is believed he'd been planning to target pupils on the last day of term as they broke up for the summer holidays.
But he was stopped from making his journey when his father ran out and intervened.
Rudakubana was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents and has an older brother.
He moved to Banks, a village in Lancashire located a few miles from Southport, in 2013.
As a child, Rudakubana displayed vicious behaviour in school as his obsession with violence grew.
The teen, who is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, left Range High School in Formby in around 2019 over claims he brought a blade into class and made threats to attack another pupil.
Police were called in and the Year 9 student - then aged just 13 - was sent home and later expelled.
But he returned to his former school armed with a hockey stick and a "hit list" of students he wanted to attack.
TERROR REFERRAL
Rudakubana was then sent to a specialist school but teachers became concerned over his behaviour.
His first referral to Prevent in 2019 came after he used computers at his own school to search for material on a school massacre.
Two years later, he was referred again after viewing material on previous terror attacks - including those in London in 2017.
Although there were no concerns over a particular ideology or religious hatred, his obsession with violence had caused fears.
But he was not found to have posed a terrorism risk and therefore did not reach the threshold for intervention by Prevent.
After one of the referrals, it was recommended that Rudakubana be referred to other services but is not known if this happened.
Timeline of horror - how the attack unfolded
- 2002: Rudakubana's father Alphonse moves to the UK from Rwanda, according to an interview he gave to his local newspaper in Southport in 2015.
- August 7 2006: Rudakubana is born in Cardiff, Wales.
- 2013: The family - including Rudakubana's father, mother and older brother - move from Wales to Banks in Lancashire, a few miles from Southport.
- July 29 2024: Shortly before midday, a knifeman enters a dance class at The Hart Space in Hart Street in Southport.
Bebe, Elsie and Alice are fatally wounded. Eight other children are injured, as are instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes. Police say they have detained a male and seized a knife.
Within hours, claims spread online that the suspect is an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat in 2023. Some claims include an alleged identity.
- July 30 2024: In the evening, a peaceful vigil is held outside Southport's Atkinson arts venue, where flowers are laid in memory of those who died. Shortly after the vigil, a separate protest begins outside the town's mosque in St Luke's Road.
People throw items towards the mosque, property is damaged and police vehicles are set on fire.
- July 31 2024: Demonstrators gather in Whitehall, London, for an "Enough Is Enough" protest. Flares and cans are thrown at police and more than 100 people are arrested. Disorder also breaks out in Hartlepool, County Durham, and Aldershot, Hampshire.
- August 1 2024: Police announce that Rudakubana has been charged with the murders of Bebe, Elsie Dot and Alice, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article. He is not named by police because of his age.
He appears in court in Liverpool and Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC rules he can be named, as he is due to turn 18 in a week.
He initially smiled on entering the courtroom - then kept his face covered by his sweatshirt for the remainder of the proceedings before the case was adjourned.
Later that evening, demonstrators gather outside a hotel in Newton Heath, Manchester.
- August 2 2024: Three police officers are taken to hospital after disorder in Sunderland.
- August 3 2024: There are scenes of violence during planned protests across the UK, including in Liverpool, Hull, Nottingham and Belfast.
- August 4 2024: Disorder continues, including outside a Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, where masked demonstrators launch lengths of wood and sprayed fire extinguishers at police officers.
- August 5 2024: The Government holds an emergency Cobra meeting in the wake of the disorder and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vows to "ramp up criminal justice". That evening, a peaceful vigil is held in Southport, a week on from the killings. Police deal with disorder in Plymouth, Devon and Darlington, County Durham.
- August 7 2024: Prison sentences for those involved in the unrest begin to be handed out. Derek Drummond, 58, is the first person to be jailed for violent disorder at Liverpool Crown Court, where he is sentenced to three years.
More than 100 protests are planned for across the country, with counter-demonstrations taking place, but the majority of police forces report very little trouble.
- October 29 2024: Merseyside Police announces Rudakubana will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court via videolink the next day charged with 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.
- October 30 2024: Rudakubana appears at Westminster Magistrates' Court via videolink from HMP Belmarsh to face the two new charges. He holds his sweater over the bottom half of his face and does not respond when asked to confirm his name.
- November 13 2024: Rudakubana appears at Liverpool Crown Court via videolink. He covers his face with his grey sweatshirt and does not speak throughout the hearing. About 20 family members of victims sit in the public gallery. The case is adjourned until December 12, when a preparatory hearing will take place.
- January 20 2025: Rudakubana appears at Liverpool Crown Court for the first day of his trial where he pleads guilty to all 16 charges, including the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
The attack in Southport sparked riots across the country - despite the local community and families of the victims calling for calm.
It came after false claims were spread online that the alleged killer was an asylum seeker.
Global superstar Taylor Swift paid tribute to the victims and met the families of those affected at her Eras tour in London.
A day after the attack, she posted on Instagram: “The horror of yesterday's attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I'm just completely in shock.
“The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families, and first responders.
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“These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
Rudakubana was remanded into custody to be sentenced on Thursday.