17-year-old boy charged with murders of Southport girls named in court
He's been named as Axel Rudakubana
Last updated 1st Aug 2024
A 17-year-old boy who is charged with the murders of three girls killed in the knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport has been named as Axel Rudakubana.
He appeared at a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday where the Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC decided against imposing reporting restrictions and remanded him in youth detention accommodation.
The teenager could previously not be named because of his age but would have lost anonymity when he turns 18 next Wednesday.
Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed on Monday when a knifeman entered the dance class on Hart Street in Southport, Merseyside.
Eight other children suffered knife wounds - with five of them left in a critical condition - while two adults were also critically hurt.
The judge heard arguments from the prosecution and defence as well as representations from the media about whether reporting Rudakubana's identity should be restricted until his 18th birthday.
The court heard Rudakubana is due to turn 18 next week, on August 7.
Judge Menary said: "Continuing to prevent the full reporting has the disadvantage of allowing others to spread misinformation, in a vacuum."
He added: "Whilst I accept it is exceptional, given his age, principally because he is 18 in six days' time, I do not make an order under section 45."
Rudakubana is charged with the attempted murder of two adults, yoga class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes, as well as the attempted murder of the eight children who cannot be named for legal reasons.
He is also charged with possession of a bladed article, a curved kitchen knife, the court heard.
Earlier on Thursday the teenager, from Banks in Lancashire, appeared in the dock at Liverpool Magistrates' Court for a preliminary hearing.
What do we know about the teenager charged with triple murder?
The teenager charged with the murders of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport is said to be an introvert with a background in musical theatre.
Axel Rudakubana, who turns 18 on Wednesday, was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, and had been living in the village of Banks, just outside Southport, at the time of the attack.
He has an older brother, who was also born in the Welsh capital, according to reports.
Helen, a neighbour of the family while they lived there, told the BBC of her shock, adding: "They were a lovely young couple. They were little boys, they were boisterous.
"Mum was a stay at home mum, Dad was nice, he went to work every day. They had a small family car, a little hatchback."
Another former neighbour of Rudakubana's family described him as a "quiet" boy who was clingy to his mother as a child.
A 51-year-old teaching assistant who lives opposite the family's former home, told the Daily Telegraph: "There were no problems while they were living here - they were a friendly couple with two little boys.
"I can't believe what's happened."
Rudakubana would accompany his father to karate classes as a child, sensei Chico Mbakwe, an instructor in Cardiff, said.
He told the PA news agency: "He would come and do grading and his father would take him home. I can't even really remember the boy but can vaguely remember the dad.
"The last time I saw the father he was taking part in his grading, he wasn't my student, he was somebody else's.
"I told him: 'You can carry on but even if you have a brainstorm and turn it on now I would still fail you.'
"He said he wanted his money back. Once you pay your money there's no return normally but I said: 'Give him his money back and tell him to get out.' That's the last time I saw him."
The family reportedly moved to the Southport area around 2013 and lived in a semi-detached property in a quiet cul-de-sac in Banks.
Neighbours have said the family are "heavily involved with the local church", and that they would often hear singing from their house, the Liverpool Echo reported.
The Times reported that Rudakubana has a background in musical theatre.
A friend from his musical theatre group told the newspaper he "turned up one day in class, and they said 'make him welcome, because he's just moved from quite far away'".
He was said to have appeared in a musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End.
"I think it was more him trying to branch out and meet kids in the community... he was enjoying it but you know, with musical theatre kids... they're very extroverted, he wasn't, he was very quiet," the friend said.
"He didn't really talk about himself that much."
The friend said he "didn't speak about Rwanda" but "you could definitely tell with his accent".
"The brother was a lot more talkative... his dad came across quite educated, and presentable," the friend added.
The Daily Mail said his parents are now believed to be in hiding.