The suspect appeared via video link from HMP Belmarsh and sat swaying from side to side
A judge has entered not guilty pleas to three counts of murder on behalf of Axel Rudakubana in connection with the Southport stabbings. The 18-year-old, of Banks in West Lancashire, appeared before Liverpool Crown Court this afternoon, Wednesday, December 18 accused of murdering six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar.
The three girls were killed during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class at the Hart Space in the town on July 29 this year. Rudakubana is also charged with attempting to murder eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and two adults, Leanne Lucas and John Hayes, who were stabbed during the incident.
The teenager faces another count of possession of a bladed article in a public place, namely a kitchen knife with a curved blade. He was meanwhile charged with additional offences of production of a biological toxin, namely ricin, and possession of information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, namely a PDF file entitled “Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual”, in October.
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Wearing a grey prison issue tracksuit, Rudakubana did not speak at any stage while appearing via video link from Belmarsh prison and sat swaying from side to side during much of the hearing. High Court judge Mr Justice Goose instead entered not guilty pleas on his behalf.
A trial, scheduled to last up to four weeks, is now due to begin on January 20 next year. Rudakubana was remanded into custody until this date.
Merseyside Police’s Chief Constable Serena Kennedy told a press conference that the further charges related to evidence obtained following searches of his home address on Old School Close. However, Counter Terrorism Policing have not declared the mass stabbing a terrorist incident.
Chief Constable Kennedy said of this: “The matter of which Axel Rudakubana has been charged under the Terrorism Act does not require motive to be established. For a matter to be declared as a terrorist incident, motivation would need to be established.”
Rudakubana has so far made five court appearances before Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, Liverpool Crown Court and Westminster Magistrates’ Court. He has not spoken to confirm his identity during any of these hearings.
