Teen, 17, accused of Southport murders named

A 17-year-old charged with murdering three girls who were stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport has been named.

Axel Muganwa Rudakubana is also charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after eight other children and two adults were seriously injured in the attack on Monday.

The suspect, who is from the Lancashire village of Banks, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court, and also faces a charge of possessing a curved kitchen knife.

Rudakubana, who is due to turn 18 next week, was remanded into youth detention accommodation.

The teenager could not previously be named due to his age but Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC ruled it could be made public following applications from the media.

The judge said he was mindful of “misinformation” that had spread regarding the suspect’s identity.

Southport saw a night of unrest on Tuesday night following a vigil in memory of the victims, with protesters gathering near a mosque in the Merseyside town.

Five men were arrested – with one later charged with possessing a knife – after a police van was set alight and bricks were thrown, with 53 police officers injured.

Judge Menary said: “Continuing to prevent full reporting at this stage has a disadvantage of allowing others up to mischief to continue to spread misinformation in a vacuum.”

He acknowledged his decision was “exceptional” but said “the balance clearly comes down in favour of the public interest in allowing full reporting of these proceedings”.

Rudakubana attended an earlier appearance at a youth court at about 09:00 BST, arriving in a prison van with a large police escort.

In front of a packed press gallery, he glanced at reporters before he was asked to sit down before District Judge James Hatton.

Wearing a grey police-issued tracksuit, the defendant pulled his sweatshirt above his nose and lowered his head during the five-minute hearing, in which he did not speak.

None of the families of either the victims or Rudakabana were in court for the appearance, which dealt with legal administration – before the defendant was moved to the Crown Court.

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died after the stabbings on Hart Street in the Merseyside town, just before midday on Monday.

Eight children and two adults were also seriously injured.

Earlier on Thursday, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital confirmed two children who were being treated there had been discharged.

The hospital said it was continuing to treat five other children, and all were now in a stable condition.

A statement read: “We are delighted that two of the children involved in Monday’s awful incident have now been discharged.

“Our heartfelt sympathies remain with all those affected by Monday’s incident.”

Following Tuesday’s disturbances in Southport, further disorder broke out in areas across England, with more than 100 people arrested at a protest in central London on Wednesday night.

There were also incidents in Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was due to meet senior policing leaders to “offer them the government’s full backing”, his spokesman has said.

Merseyside Police announced they were charging the Rudakubana at a midnight press conference on Thursday, but did not name him at that stage.

Following Monday’s attack, the families of Bebe King and Alice Dasilva Aguiar issued tributes and asked for privacy.

Bebe’s family said “no words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as try to deal with the loss”.

The family of Alice Dasilva Aguiar said “keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our Princess”.

Rudakubana was scheduled to appear again at Liverpool Crown Court on 25 October for a pre-trial preparation hearing.

Additional reporting by Rumeana Jahangir, Monica Rimmer, Phil McCann & PA Media