Yvette Cooper appeals for legal process to be allowed to 'take its course' ahead of Southport murder trial
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The Home Secretary has appealed for the legal process to be allowed to “take its course” ahead of the Southport murders trial beginning on Monday. Yvette Cooper said the whole country will be thinking of the families of those killed in the knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, from Lancashire, stands trial at Liverpool Crown Court charged with the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, who died in the assault. He is accused of the attempted murders of eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes in the same incident.
Ms Cooper said: "This will be a deeply traumatic and distressing time for the families of Alice, Bebe and Elsie, the survivors, and the people of Southport, and the whole country will be thinking of them. "The most important thing for all of us is to ensure that the legal process can take its course, to respect the difficult job the court has to do, so there is a fair trial and justice can be done.
"There will be a time at the end of this trial to discuss what happened and the action needed in response to this horrific tragedy. “But for now, and until the proceedings have concluded, the priority for all of us must be to ensure justice is done.".
Rudakubana is also charged with possession of a knife on the day of the attack, production of a biological toxin - ricin - on or before July 29, and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.
