Axel Rudakubana being sentenced for ‘sadistic’ and ‘pre-meditated’ murders
The 18-year-old admitted all 16 offences he faced on the first day of his trial on Monday.
Injuries suffered by the Southport murder victims are “difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature”, prosecutors have said.
A sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday heard that Axel Rudakubana, 18, carried out a “pre-meditated, planned knife attack upon multiple victims, principally young girls, intending to kill them”.
The court was also told that Rudakubana said “I’m glad they’re dead” as he was held in a custody suite after killing the three girls at a Southport dance class.
Deanna Heer KC 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.”
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, died following the attack at the Taylor Swift-themed class in The Hart Space on a small business park in the seaside town shortly before midday on July 29.
The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the killings, admitted their murders as well as the attempted murders of eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.
Wearing a grey tracksuit and surgical mask, Rudakubana entered the dock shortly after 11.45am on Thursday.
He immediately sat and put his head down onto his knees and did not respond at all when asked to confirm his name.
The judge, Mr Justice Goose, later ordered Rudakubana to leave the dock as he shouted repeatedly during the hearing.
One family member shouted “coward”, while others shook their heads as he left.
Rudakubana had been shouting: “It’s not my fault, I feel ill”, and repeatedly shouted for a paramedic.
When the judge tried to carry on with the case, Rudakubana shouted: “Don’t continue.”
The prosecution opening continued in his absence and Mr Justice Goose said he would be brought back in to be sentenced later in the day.
Ms Heer told the court that images and documents were found on Rudakubana’s devices “which demonstrated that he had a long standing obsession with violence, killing and genocide”.
“Amongst those documents was a version of the Al-Qaeda training manual, which provides instruction on how to commit acts of terror, including with a knife and with poisons, including ricin,” she added.
A number of weapons were also recovered in searches of his home, including the biological toxin ricin which the defendant had produced in his bedroom.
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.
“His only purpose was to kill, and he targeted the youngest, most vulnerable in order to spread the greatest level of fear and outrage, which he succeeded in doing.
“Whilst under arrest at the police station after the incident, Axel Rudakubana was heard to say, “It’s a good thing those children are dead… I’m so glad… so happy’.”
More than 30 members of the victims’ families were in the public gallery of the court for the sentencing and the court heard there were others in an annexe.
