A judge said Axel
Rudakubana was unlikely to ever be released from prison.
He will spend at least 52 years in prison, though a judge
said he is unlikely to ever be released
Axel Rudakubana, an 18-year-old convicted killer, has been
sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 52 years for the brutal
murders of three young girls during a dance class in Southport last year. At
the time of the attack, Rudakubana was just 17, which prevented the court from
imposing a whole-life sentence due to legal restrictions. However, the judge
made it clear that he is unlikely ever to be released. In addition to the
murders, he received further life sentences for attempting to kill eight other children,
whose identities are protected, as well as a dance instructor, Leanne Lucas,
and a businessman, John Hayes. In total, he was handed 13 life sentences.
The horrific attack occurred at a dance class party attended
by 26 children. Rudakubana targeted the young victims with extreme violence,
killing nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, seven-year-old Elsie Dot
Stancombe, and six-year-old Bebe King. Following his arrest, police uncovered a
chilling array of items in his home, including weapons, a knife identical to
the one used in the attack, arrows, and a box containing an unknown substance.
The substance was sent to Porton Down, the UK government’s
biological research lab, where it was identified as ricin, a lethal poison with
no known antidote.
Further investigation revealed Rudakubana had been preparing
the poison, as police found 150 castor beans and tools such as a pestle and
mortar, funnels, and a flask with traces of ricin. These items, purchased
online in 2022, indicated his intent to manufacture the deadly substance, which
prosecutors confirmed could have produced up to 12,500 lethal doses if he had
continued. However, there was no evidence that the poison was ever used.
Police found a sealed
container that had ricin in it.
During sentencing, Mr Justice Goose described the attack as
"the most extreme, shocking, and exceptionally serious crime" and
noted Rudakubana’s clear intent to kill all 26 children at the party.
The judge emphasised the devastating and permanent harm
caused to the victims’ families and the community. He stated that the families
of the murdered girls—Bebe, Elsie, and Alice—would never recover, and the lives
of those whose children were attacked would be forever changed.
Throughout the proceedings, Rudakubana showed no remorse,
even telling police after his arrest, "I'm glad those kids are dead."
The court heard harrowing details of his calculated preparation and his cold
determination to cause maximum harm. While the sentencing included a minimum
term, it is widely believed that Rudakubana will spend the rest of his life in
prison, reflecting the severity and inhumanity of his crimes.
