Southport triple murderer Axel Rudakubana refuses to leave prison cell as judge corrects sentencing error

Axel Rudakubana, an 18-year-old from Banks in Lancashire, was involved in a tragic knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport.

Last month, he was sentenced to life in prison for the attack, which resulted in the deaths of three young children and injuries to several others. Recently, he was supposed to appear in court via video link from Belmarsh Prison in London for a hearing to correct a small legal error in his sentence.

However, he refused to leave his cell and did not attend the hearing. His lawyer, Carmel Wilde, informed the court that Rudakubana had also refused to speak to his legal team.

The hearing was held to fix a technical issue with his sentence. The prosecutor, Deanna Heer KC, explained that because Rudakubana was under 18 at the time of the crime, his sentence needed to be changed from “custody for life” to “detention at His Majesty’s pleasure.

This change is a legal requirement for offenders under 18, but it doesn’t affect the length of his sentence. The judge, Mr. Justice Goose, clarified that this was just a formal correction and that Rudakubana’s punishment remains the same—he is still serving a life sentence. The judge also mentioned that Rudakubana had the right to attend the hearing but chose not to.

Rudakubana’s crimes were extremely serious. He pleaded guilty to murdering three children—Alice da Silva Aguiar (9), Bebe King (6), and Elsie Dot Stancombe (7)—during the attack in Southport last July. He also admitted to attempting to murder eight other children and two adults, carrying a knife, producing a dangerous toxin called ricin, and possessing information that could be used for terrorism. His actions shocked the community and left many families devastated.

In other news, LancsLive, a local news outlet, has created a WhatsApp group to keep people updated on the latest news from Lancashire. Anyone can join the group by clicking a link and selecting “Join Community.” Members will receive daily updates on breaking news and stories from the area. The group is designed to be simple and easy to use, and members can leave at any time if they no longer want to be part of it. This is a way for people to stay informed about what’s happening in their community without being overwhelmed by too many messages.