Teen killer sentenced to 52 years for Southport murders

Axel Rudakubana, an 18-year-old resident of the United Kingdom, confessed to killing three girls aged six to nine who were attending a dance lesson in Southport in 2024. The court sentenced him to at least 52 years in prison.

Judge Julian Goose emphasised that he could not impose a life sentence without the possibility of parole because Rudakubana was 17 at the time of the crime. He noted, however, that Rudakubana will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.

- It was such extreme violence of utmost and exceptionally high seriousness that it is difficult to comprehend why it was done. Had he been able to, he would have killed each and every one of them – all 26 of them – as well as any adult who got in his way - said Judge Goose, justifying the sentence.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of instructions developed by Al-Qaeda. He was not present at the reading of the verdict - he was twice removed from the courtroom for disrupting the trial.

Prosecutor Deanna Heer described the attack as deliberate and planned and inherently sadistic. She emphasised that no specific terrorist motive was detected for the attack, and the goal was to commit mass murder. The UK's Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, announced a public inquiry to explain how the attack occurred and why the authorities failed to prevent the tragedy. She admitted that services had prior information about the potential threat posed by Rudakubana.