Southport attack heroes who protected terrified schoolgirls from murderer Axel Rudakubana
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A small dance studio in Southport became a scene of tragedy last summer after an 18-year-old knifeman targeted a bunch of children, leaving three dead. Axel Rudakubana, of Banks, Lancashire, stormed the Taylor Swift-themed dance class at The Hart Space shortly before midday on July 29, killing Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Bebe King, six; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven. Rudakubana changed his plea to guilty on day one of a trial at Liverpool Crown Court where he was charged with the murders.
Rudakubana – who had been reported to the government's Prevent counter-extremism scheme at least three times before the stabbings, it can now be revealed – also pleaded to eight counts of attempted murder in relation to eight other children, who cannot be named. He has also pleaded guilty to the attempted murders of Leanne Lucas and Jonathan Hayes and admitted the possession of a bladed article in a public place, namely a kitchen knife with a curved blade.
Ms Lucas and Mr Hayes were just two of the heroes from the community who stepped up in the face of evil. Shortly after the 'ferocious attack', Merseyside Police revealed that the two adults had been critically injured after trying to save the youngsters, while nearby locals rushed to help.
Rudakubana was just 13 when he was first sent to Prevent, the government's anti-terror programme, with two other referrals made in 2021. After one of the referrals, it was recommended that he be referred to other services, however it is not known if this happened.
