Three girls stabbed to death by a hooded knifeman who stormed a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport have been named today as seven people including five children remain in a critical condition in hospital.
Live updates as Southport child killer is ordered to leave dock just minutes into sentencing . LISTEN:Harrowing footage of the moment one of the girls attacked by Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana tried to escape but was dragged back inside has reduced a courtroom to tears.
Rudakubana was today being sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting the murders of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last year. Earlier during the hearing, they sat through horrific details about Rudakubana's sadism and utter lack of remorse, with the teenager saying 'I'm glad they're dead' after being arrested.
The prosecution then continued reading their opening, with the judge saying Rudakubana would be returned to court to receive his sentence. Mr Justice Goose asked dock officers to remove Rudakubana, adding: 'He has been seen by two teams of paramedics, both of whom agreed he is fit.' 'We will not let you know anything about her because you don't deserve to know the extraordinary person she was. You know what you have done and we hope the weight of that knowledge haunts you every day.'
'As a 36-year-old woman I cannot go to work. As a 36-year-old woman I cannot walk down the street without holding my breath as I bypass a person and then glance back to see if they've attempted to stab me. The victim, who was 10 at the time and initially thought Rudakubana was a caretaker, said she still has nightmares 'one or twice a week' and felt guilty wondering if there was anything she could have done to help the three girls who were murdered.
In her opening of the case, Ms Heer told the court: 'Three children were killed, two of whom suffered particularly horrific injuries which are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature; and the defendant attempted to kill 10 others, inflicting a number of stab wounds upon them, including to their backs as they tried to escape.'
Ms Heer added: 'Having researched atrocities committed by others, the evidence suggests that he set out to emulate them on the 29 July. There is no evidence that he ascribed to any particular political or religious ideology; he wasn't fighting for a cause. During the call on October 4 2019, 'he explained that he hated someone at school who bullied him. He felt angry and wanted to kill them,' Ms Heer said.
It differs from a life sentence, which means the offender must serve a minimum term in prison before they are eligible for parole. Ms Heer revealed Rudakubana was referred to the Multi-Agency Safeguard Hub and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service , then enrolled at a pupil referral unit on October 17.
Describing what happened at the Hart Space, Ms Heer said dance teachers Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle were with children who were gathered around tables making bracelets singing along to Taylor Swift songs.He did not speak during the journey and left without paying, prompting the driver to follow him asking for payment.
'It was only when she reached her and she felt the knife that she realised he was armed and stabbing the children.
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