An 18-year-old British man admitted on Monday to killing three girls and attempting to kill 10 others in a brutal knife attack at a dance class in Southport, England, in July last year.
Defendant Axel Rudakvana unexpectedly pleaded guilty to all charges against him on the first day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
Rudakubana was with Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, who were attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance and bracelet-making class on July 29 during their school’s summer vacation. Admitted to killing Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9 years old. , and up to 10 attempted murders, including eight children and two adults.
After the stabbing, police said they searched Rudakbana’s home and found the deadly toxin ricin and a PDF file titled “Military Study of Jihad Against Tyrants: Al-Qaeda Training Manual.” Rudakbana was subsequently charged with manufacturing a biological toxin and “possession of information of a type that could be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.”
On Monday, Rudakubana, who initially pleaded not guilty, appeared in court wearing a gray sweatsuit, sitting in the back of the defense room, but repeatedly refused requests from the court to identify himself or speak. volume that can be heard by the judge.
The BBC reported that Rudakubana, whose mouth was covered by a surgical mask, mumbled “guilty” as each count of the indictment against him was read out.
His defense lawyer Stanley Reitz confirmed that the defendant understood the proceedings and had pleaded guilty to all charges against him. His guilty plea came as the court prepared for a multi-day evidentiary hearing into the harrowing attack last summer.
Judge Julian Goose, who presided over the case and sentenced Rudakubana on Thursday, said the case would now move quickly to sentencing.
“You will understand that it is inevitable that the sentence imposed on you will amount to a life sentence,” he told Rudakbana after his guilty plea.
Judge Goose said no one was in court on Monday as the initial evidence in the trial was due to be heard until later in the week and he “expressed our apologies” to the victim’s family. But he confirmed those families would be in court Thursday.
Ursula Doyle, chief prosecutor for Mersey and Cheshire, said in a statement that the “unspeakable attack” had “left a lasting mark on our community and nation with its barbarity and senselessness”. Ta.
“It is clear that this is a young man with a disgusting and persistent interest in death and violence,” she said, adding that Mr Rudakbana showed no remorse. . “Prosecutors are determined to prove his guilt, and we are deeply grateful that today’s plea spares the families of the people at the center of this case the pain of having to relive their ordeal through trial. .”
Authorities have refused to label the stabbing an act of terrorism. Chief Constable Selina Kennedy of Merseyside Police, which oversees policing in the area, said in a statement in October: “For a matter to qualify as a terrorist incident, a motive needs to be established.” . It added: “We urge anyone to exercise caution in speculating about motives in this case.”
Mr Rudakubana was born in Cardiff, Wales to Rwandan parents. At the time of the attack he lived in Banks, a village north of Southport.
Britain was roiled by a series of riots after the Southport attack, with misinformation about the attacker’s identity swirling on social media and messaging apps. False claims that the suspects were illegal immigrants or newly arrived asylum seekers were amplified by anti-immigrant activists and members of the far right.
Several individuals, including neo-Nazis, were later found to have helped orchestrate the outbreak of violence, including attacks on mosques and hotels where asylum seekers were staying, leaving dozens of police officers injured.
Rudakbana was 17 at the time of the attack and under British court rules would normally have kept him anonymous until he turned 18. But a few days after the attack, a judge took the unusual step of making his name public in court. Trying to combat the spread of misinformation.
Since last summer’s riots, hundreds of people across the country have been charged with involvement in violent riots, and dozens have been sentenced to prison.
British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement on Monday morning that the trial comes at a “hugely traumatic and distressing time for the families of Alice, Bebe and Elsie, the survivors, and the people of Southport and across the country.” He said it would be.
“The most important thing for all of us is to ensure that legal processes proceed properly and to respect the difficult job that courts have to do to ensure that trials are fair and justice is served. ” she added.
