‘Sadistic’ child killer likely to die behind bars after dance class murders
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Southport child-killer Axel Rudakubana is likely to die behind bars after receiving one of the highest minimum terms on record for the “sadistic” murders of three girls at a dance class. The 18-year-old was not present to hear the judge impose a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years, as the court was told he was likely to be “disruptive” if he was to enter the courtroom.
The horrific details of his attack on the Taylor Swift-themed class were outlined – with some CCTV footage prompting prosecutors to ask families if they would like to leave the court. Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, died in the attack in The Hart Space on a small business park in the seaside town shortly before midday on July 29.
Rudakubana also attempted to murder eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes. He had been due to stand trial on Monday but dramatically changed his pleas to guilty, which was the first time he had spoken in court.
Rudakubana, who was born in Cardiff, also admitted possession of a knife, 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. As prosecutor Deanna Heer KC began to lay out the chilling facts of the case, the previously tight-lipped defendant began repeatedly shouting – forcing Mr Justice Goose to order his removal from the dock.
