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Southport killer sentenced to 52 years

The Southport killer has been jailed for a minimum of 52 years.

Axel Rudakubana fatally stabbed Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, at Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop last July.

The 18-year-old attended Liverpool Crown Court for Thursday’s verdict, which came after changing his plea for the killings to murder at late notice this week.

But Rudakubana’s appearance in court was delayed by 45 minutes before he interrupted the hearing several times by shouting over the prosecution.

His barrister Stanley Reiz KC claimed that his client was suffering from chest pains but judge Mr Justice Goose insisted that proceedings continued.

He was subsequently removed from the courtroom while CCTV footage and pathological evidence was delivered.

Rudakubana had to be removed for a second time following a break for shouting again as bereaved families read out victim impact statements.

Sentencing was carried out in his absence with Justice Goose admitting a life term could not be imposed due to him being 17 at the time of the murders.

He ruled that Rudakubana must serve a minimum term of 52 years’ jail time.

“I am satisfied that for some time he had planned to kill as many people as he could, as the prosecution have called it ‘a mass killing’,” said Justice Goose.

“He bought the knife he wanted to use, which had a particularly sharp point; he had read information on how to stab people with greatest effect to kill them.

“He saw the publicity for a children’s party in Southport at The Hart Space dance studio and decided to kill as many as you could, targeting very young children.”

Shortly after Rudakubana’s jailing, the Attorney General’s Office confirmed that it had referred the case under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.