Axel Rudakubana, an 18-year-old British teenager, has been sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in prison for the murder of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in Southport, Merseyside. The attack, which also left 10 others injured, was described by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as “one of the most harrowing moments in Britain’s history.”
The victims—Bebe King (6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (7), and Alice Dasilva Aguiar (9)—were among 26 children attending the summer vacation event when Rudakubana launched his attack last July. Prosecutor Deanna Heer revealed that two of the girls suffered at least 85 and 122 stab wounds, with evidence suggesting he attempted to decapitate one of them.
Court footage showed young girls screaming and fleeing the building, with one bloodied child collapsing outside. Survivors testified that Rudakubana specifically targeted them for being women and girls.
After his arrest, he told police: “I’m glad those kids are dead. It makes me happy.”
Investigations uncovered Rudakubana’s deep obsession with violence and genocide. Authorities found extremist materials at his home, including an al-Qaeda training manual and instructions for making ricin, a deadly poison. Despite this, his crimes were not classified as terrorism, as they were not linked to any specific political or religious ideology.
Records showed that Rudakubana had been flagged for concerning behavior since 2019, when he contacted a child helpline asking “What should I do if I want to kill somebody?” He was later expelled from school for repeatedly bringing knives and was arrested after attacking a student with a hockey stick.
He had been referred to Prevent, the UK’s counter-radicalization program, after researching school shootings and uploading images of Muammar Gaddafi to Instagram, but authorities did not take further action.
The UK government has launched a public inquiry into how Rudakubana’s warning signs were overlooked.
“After one of the most harrowing moments in our country’s history, we owe it to these innocent young girls and all those affected to deliver the change they deserve,” Starmer said.
