Official government reports and public announcements

Axel Rudakubana Pleads Guilty to Southport Murders; Public Inquiry Announced

Jan 20, 2025, 02:27 PM

An 18-year-old British teenager, Axel Rudakubana, has pleaded guilty to the murders of three young girls during a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, England. The attack, which occurred in July of last year, shocked the nation and was followed by days of nationwide rioting. On the first day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court, Rudakubana unexpectedly changed his plea to guilty for three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder. He also admitted to producing ricin and possessing an Al-Qaeda training manual. The victims were six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar. Authorities revealed that Rudakubana had been referred to the government's counter-extremism Prevent program three times before the attack, raising questions about missed opportunities to prevent the tragedy. It was also disclosed that he had been expelled from school at age 13 for carrying a knife and had attacked pupils with a hockey stick after his expulsion. A week before the attack, his father had prevented him from traveling to his former school, potentially averting another incident. In light of these revelations, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced a public inquiry into the murders to 'get to the truth about what happened and what needs to change.' A mugshot of Rudakubana was released by Merseyside Police following his guilty plea. Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed that Britain would 'rightly demand answers' over the state's failings in protecting the victims and is set to make a statement regarding the attack.