18-year-old Axel Rudakubana pleaded guilty to the murders of three teenage girls and multiple other attacks at a dance party in Southport. He will be sentenced on Thursday, facing a life sentence.
The trial of Axel Rudakubana , scheduled to begin today, has been abruptly halted after the 18-year-old pleaded guilty to the murders of three teenage girls at a dance party in Southport last year. The court was prepared to hear the case against Rudakubana, who was accused of stabbing three girls to death and attempting to murder eight other children and two adults during a Taylor Swift-themed event in July 2024.
However, Rudakubana entered guilty pleas to all charges, including the murders of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice Da Silva Aguiar. He also admitted to attempting to murder eight other children, who are protected by legal anonymity, as well as two adults, Leanna Lucas and John Hayes. Furthermore, Rudakubana pleaded guilty to additional offenses including possession of a bladed article in a public place, production of ricin, and possession of information that could be useful to someone planning terrorism. Following his guilty pleas, High Court judge Mr. Justice Goose informed Rudakubana that a life sentence was inevitable. While the severity of Rudakubana's crimes might have warranted a whole life order, a legal restriction prevents this in his case. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 stipulates that whole life orders can only be imposed on defendants aged 18 or older at the time of their crimes. Rudakubana, who was only 17 at the time of the incident, will instead receive a life imprisonment sentence. The judge will determine the minimum term he must serve before becoming eligible for parole, considering factors such as the number of charges, his age, and mental health. Sentencing guidelines suggest a starting point of 25 years for murder involving a knife, but this can be adjusted based on other circumstances. Rudakubana will also receive a reduction in his sentence due to his guilty plea, which can be up to one-sixth for murder charges
MURDER CRIME SOUTHPORT AXEL RUDAKUBANA DANCE PARTY TAYLOR SWIFT SENTENCE LIFE IMPRISONMENT
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Southport stabbings suspect Axel Rudakubana to stand trial todayThe trial is scheduled to last up to four weeks
Read more »
Axel Rudakubana murder trial LIVE updates as Southport stabbings accused appears in courtBebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice de Silva Aguiar were stabbed to death during a Taylor Swift-themed dance party last summer
Read more »
Axel Rudakubana, 18, pleads guilty to Southport triple murder on first day of trial'This will be a deeply traumatic and distressing time for the families of Alice, Bebe and Elsie,' the Home Secretary said
Read more »
Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana showed violent behaviour in schoolNeighbours described the family as unremarkable, but it can now be reported that teachers had concerns about his behaviour
Read more »
Axel Rudakubana Pleads Guilty to Murdering Three Girls at Southport Dance ClassAxel Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to murdering three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, England. The 18-year-old also admitted to producing ricin, possessing a terrorism-related document, and carrying a kitchen knife in public.
Read more »
Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana pleads guilty to murdering three girls at dance classThe 18-year-old also admitted 10 counts of attempted murder, producing ricin and possessing an al Qaeda training manual on what was due to be the first day of his trial.
Read more »