Southport stabbing suspect, 17, named for the first time as he appears in court charged with murdering three girls
1 August 2024, 12:28 | Updated: 1 August 2024, 22:42
The 17-year-old arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder following the knife attack which killed 3 children in Southport on Monday, has been named as Axel Rudakubana.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
A legal restriction, preventing him from being named, has been lifted by the judge in this case.
Rudakubana is charged with murdering three little girls and harming 10 others at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport with a 'curved kitchen knife'. The 17-year-old, who turns 18 in just six days time, was born to Rwandan parents in Cardiff before moving to the village of Banks in Lancashire.
Read More: Two children discharged from hospital after Southport stabbing, five more in a stable condition
Read More: Teenage Southport murder suspect appears in court accused of killing three girls in dance class
Rudakubana is also accused of the attempted murders of eight more children, along with dance teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, and businessman John Hayes.
Up until now, the teenager's identity could not be revealed because suspects under 18 receive automatic anonymity in all UK court cases, except for in exceptional circumstances.
Rudakubana, who spent the entire 55 minutes of the hearing covering his whole face, with his grey sweatshirt pulled up to his hairline, and at times rocking back and forth and side to side, will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on October 25.
A provisional trial date, lasting six weeks, was scheduled for January 20, next year.
Judge Menary told the defendant, who did not acknowledge the judge and continued to keep his head down: "You are remanded to youth detention accommodation until these proceedings have been completed.
"That position might change when you achieve your majority in a short while."
Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC heard arguments from the prosecution and defence as well as representations from the media about whether reporting of Rudakubana's identity should be restricted until his 18th birthday.
The court heard Rudakubana was due to turn 18 next week, on August 7.
Judge Menary said: "Continuing to prevent the full reporting has the disadvantage of allowing others to spread misinformation, in a vacuum."
He added: "Whilst I accept it is exceptional given his age, principally because he is 18 in six days time I do not make an order under section 45."
Read More: Russia could be fuelling far-right riots after Southport killings, ex-MI6 boss warns
The suspect arrived at the court around 9.30am in a white prison van flanked by a large escort of at least eight police vehicles.
The large police presence comes amid fears angry protesters will turn up outside the courthouse, after a series of riots have swept the country in recent days.
More than 100 people were arrested in London last night following a far-right protest in Whitehall, with further unrest in Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot.
On Tuesday night, an angry mob took to the streets of Southport after a vigil to remember victims of the mass stabbing at the workshop attended by 25 children.
False claims online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat had sparked riots across Southport on Tuesday night, despite pleas from one of the victim's mother's for calm.
Thousands of people turned out to pay their respects to the victims at a vigil in Southport, but violence later erupted outside a mosque in the town with 53 police officers and three police dogs injured. Five men have been arrested following that incident.
After rioting broke out, Elsie's mother, Jenni Stancombe, wrote on Facebook: "This is the only thing that I will write, but please please stop the violence in Southport tonight.'The police have been nothing but heroic these last 24 hours and they and we don't need this."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said rioters had "hijacked" a vigil for victims and will "feel the full force of the law", while Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the rioting as 'violent attacks from thugs on the streets', which she branded 'appalling'.
