How Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana turned from karate-loving teen in ‘quiet’ village to a cold-blooded murderer
A TEENAGER who murdered three little girls turned from a “quiet” schoolboy brought up in a loving Christian family with a flare for musical theatre into a cold-blooded child killer.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, targeted children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class - stabbing three to death and injuring 10 others.
He’d been born in Cardiff in 2006 to doting, churchgoing parents.
The family relocated to the village of Banks, Lancs, in 2013 when he was aged just seven and were valued members of the local community.
They were heavily involved in the local church, and his mother was a stay-at-home parent while his dad was described as “very hardworking”.
His parents, in their 40s, were originally from Rwanda, were forced to go into hiding following the attack as far-right protesters rioted across the country.
Rudakubana, who has autism, was said to be “quiet” and “introvert” by neighbours in the small cul-de-sac where they lived.
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He was described as being “very clingy” to his mother compared to his older brother, who was more “boisterous and would stick his tongue out at you”.
One woman said: “They were a lovely young couple. They were little boys, they were boisterous.
“Mum was a stay-at-home mum, Dad was nice, he went to work every day.”
Residents said Rudakubana was more withdrawn than the rest of his family and was a “recluse” who they rarely saw.
But inside the £80,000 terraced home, the boys could often be heard singing, with Rudakubana showing a keen interest in music from a young age.
He even appeared in a West End musical at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre to help him make friends with other kids.
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
- Rudakubana spoke out loud in court for the first time
- Prosecutor described attack as "unspeakable" after pleas
A former pal said: "I think it was more him trying to branch out and meet kids in the community.
“He was enjoying it but you know, with musical theatre kids, they're very extroverted.
“He wasn't, he was very quiet. He didn't really talk about himself that much.
“The brother was a lot more talkative - his dad came across quite educated, and presentable.”
It's understood his brother, who is disabled and uses a wheelchair, is currently studying maths at one of the country's most prestigious universities.
Rudakubana also showed an interest in acting, and once starred as Doctor Who in a BBC Children in Need advert.
Then aged 11, footage showed him emerging from the Tardis in David Tennant's trademark trenchcoat and tie - before urging the nation to help children by getting involved in fundraising.
The clip, filmed in Blackpool in 2018, was deleted by both the BBC and the Ology child talent agency that represented him following the stabbings.
He was also a member of Pauline Quirke Acting Academy in Southport, Merseyside, and was pictured collecting an award for “Performer of the Week” a few years prior to the attack.
Like a lot of teenage boys, Rudakubana enjoyed playing football in his spare time and was part of a five-a-side league.
A picture taken a few years before he went on a knife rampage show him innocently smiling at the camera while wearing his school uniform and rucksack.
While living in Wales, he would also accompany his dad to karate classes as a child.
This comes as Rudakubana pleaded guilty to murdering Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, today.
It can also now be revealed that Rudakubana was reported to anti-terror programme Prevent three times before the massacre.
The monster was first referred in 2019 when he was aged just 13 after showing a morbid fascination with a school massacre.
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
Rudakubana, who also researched the 2017 terror attacks in London, was found three times not to pose a terrorism risk.
Nigel Farage has since slammed Sir Keir Starmer and the police for a “gigantic cover up”.
As reported by the , Mr Farage accused the Government of behaving “abominably” from day one.
This comes after the Reform UK leader was blocked from asking questions in Parliament about Rudakubana's background and if he was known to the police.
He was told this was due to ongoing court proceedings, which the politician branded "completely wrong".
Mr Farage claimed violent riots sparked after the tragedy were a result of withholding of information from the public.
It comes after 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.
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.
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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.
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".