DISTRESSING CONTENT WARNING: Southport killer Axel Rudakubana avoided a whole life sentence despite his “savage” attack.Axel Rudakubana has been jailed for life with a minimum of 52 years for the horrific murders of three young girls.
On July 29, 2024, Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were slaughtered while they were attending a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport, with eight others seriously injured.Cowardly Rudakubana, 18, refused to enter the dock to hear the judge pass down the sentence after having been removed twice for a series of outbursts.
The court heard shocking details about Rudakubana’s merciless attack, in which he stabbed one victim 122 times, and another 85 after storming into the building as they were making bracelets.
Rudakubana was charged with three counts of murder, 10 of attempted murder for those he injured, and additional charges of possessing a knife, the poison ricin and an al-Qaida manual. He unexpectedly changed his plea to guilty on all charges on Monday.Five minutes into the afternoon session Rudakubana was been physically removed after launching into another rant. He began yelling: “Judge, I need to be seen by a paramedic, I feel ill” prompting Judge Goose to order his removal from the dock.
Sentencing, Mr Justice Goose said he would have imposed a rare whole life order, handed to only the most serious of crimes. However, due to Rudakubana being 17 at the time of the offence, this was prevented by law.
The judge added: “I consider at this time it’s likely he will never be released and will be in custody for all his life.”
After the hearing ended and family members of the girls attacked by Rudakubana filed out of court, they stood around in the corridor outside exchanging hugs as police officers watched in silence.Keir Starmer says attack was ‘one of the most harrowing moments in UK history’
The Prime Minister said in a statement after Axel Radukabana was sentenced this afternoon: “The thoughts of the entire nation are with the families and everyone affected by the unimaginable horrors that unfolded in Southport. No words will ever be able to capture the depth of their pain.
“I want to say directly to the survivors, families and community of Southport – you are not alone. We stand with you in your grief.
“What happened in Southport was an atrocity and as the judge has stated, this vile offender will likely never be released.
“After one of the most harrowing moments in our country’s history we owe it to these innocent young girls and all those affected to deliver the change that they deserve.”Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said there was a “strong case” for amending the law to allow for whole-life orders to be imposed on people aged under 18 in some cases, which “Conservatives will start to explore”.
In a post on X, she said: “Axel Rudakubana should never be released from prison. His age means he has not been given a whole-life sentence, despite the countless lives he destroyed on that dreadful day, and the legacy of mistrust he has sown across the country.
“There is a strong case here for amending the law to give clear judicial discretion to award whole-life sentences to under 18s, which Conservatives will start to explore.
“My heart goes out to the victims and their families. None of us can imagine your pain and we owe you justice.”Reform MPs call for harsher punishment
Reform UK MPs Lee Anderson and Rupert Lowe have both backed a reinstation of the death penalty – last recorded in the UK in 1964 – amid dissatisfaction over the sentence handed to 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana in court today.
Although his minimum 52-year sentence means he is likely to die behind bars, the judge couldn’t hand him a sentence of life in jail with no parole because he was under 18 when the Southport murders took place.
“It is my opinion that now is the time for a national debate on the use of the death penalty in exceptional circumstances. This is an exceptional circumstance,” Mr Lowe told the Express.
“I have been consistent on the issue of the death penalty,” Mr Anderson added.
“This animal has no right to breath the same air as the rest of us.”Do you think the UK should bring back the death penalty?
Axel Rudakubana is likely to die in jail after being sentenced to a minimum of 52 years behind bars, Mr Justice Goose said.
But the horrific nature of the crime has sparked fresh debate on whether a lifetime in prison is a sufficient punishment. We’re asking Express readers if they would support the UK bringing back the death penalty for cases like the Southport stabbings – let us know what you think bel
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