Southport stabbing latest: Axel Rudakubana, 18, pleads guilty to murder of three girls at Taylor Swift class – UK Times

Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, confirmed that the families of Axel Rudakubana’s victims had not attended as it was assumed the trial would open on Tuesday.

Mr Justice Goose said: “I am conscious of the fact the families are not here today”, and said he extended his apologies to the families that “for that reason they weren’t here to hear him enter his pleas”.

Ms Heer said she would speak to them before the sentence on Thursday.

Judge Julian Goose told Axel Rudakubana that he would inevitably face a life sentence equivalent term.

After pleading guilty to all charges, the 18-year-old kept his head down towards his knees as the judge said to him: “You have now pleaded guilty to this indictment and to each of the charges upon it. The next stage is sentence. That will take place on Thursday at 11am.”

Telling Rudakubana to keep in touch with barristers, the judge added: “You will understand it is inevitable the sentence to be imposed upon you will mean a life sentence equivalent will be imposed upon you.

“I will have to complete the sentencing process on that on that occasion.”

The 18-year-old accused of killing three girls at a dance class in Southport has admitted the attack on the first day of his trial.

Axel Rudakubana, of Banks, Lancashire, was to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday charged with 16 offences, including three counts of murder.

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 attack, admitted their murders as well as the attempted murder of eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.