Southport stabbing suspect NAMED as judge lifts reporting restrictions on 17-year-old
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 made the ruling.
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.
Rudakubana was 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. Rudakubana, 17, of Banks, Lancashire has been further remanded in youth detention accommodation. Earlier today, the teenager appeared in the dock at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court for a preliminary hearing.
Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC heard arguments from the prosecution and defence as well as representations from the media about whether reporting of defendant Axel Rudakubana’s identity should be restricted until his 18th birthday.
The court heard Rudakubana was due to turn 18 next week, on August 7.
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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, who spent the entire 55 minutes of the hearing covering his whole face, with his grey sweatshirt pulled up to his hairline, and at times rocking back and forth and side to side, will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on October 25.
A provisional trial date, lasting six weeks, was scheduled for January 20, next year.
Judge Menary told the defendant, who did not acknowledge the judge and continued to keep his head down: “You are remanded to youth detention accommodation until these proceedings have been completed. That position might change when you achieve your majority in a short while.”
More to come…