LONDON — A British teenager pleaded guilty Monday to murdering three girls and attempting to murder 10 others in what prosecutors said was “well-planned.” Stabbing rampage at Taylor Swift-themed dance class Last summer in England. Axel RudakubanaThe 18-year-old made the surprise statement as jury selection was expected to begin at the start of the trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
The July 29 stabbing shocked the whole of Britain and sparked a week of chaos. widespread riots The suspect traveled across Britain and parts of Northern Ireland after being mistakenly identified as an asylum seeker who had recently arrived in the UK by boat. He was actually born in Wales.
The assault occurred on the first day of summer vacation, when the girls were taking yoga classes and dancing to Taylor Swift songs at Heart Space, a facility hidden behind a row of houses. What was supposed to be a day of joy turned into a day of terror and heartbreak when a knife-wielding rudakubana invaded the seaside town of Southport in northwest England and began stabbing girls and teachers.
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“This was an unspeakable attack that left a lasting mark of its barbarity and senselessness on our community and nation,” said Deputy Chief Prosecutor Ursula Doyle. “What was supposed to be a carefree and innocent day, with children enjoying a dance workshop and making friendship bracelets, turned into a carefully planned outburst by Axel Rudakubana. It was a scene of the darkest horror.”
Prosecutors have not said what prompted Rudakubana, who was just days shy of his 18th birthday, to commit the atrocities, but Doyle said he was “sickened by death and violence”. It was clear that he had a “sustained interest in the project.”
Rudakbana had consistently refused to speak in court, but spoke again when asked to identify herself at the start of proceedings. But when the 16-count indictment was read to him and he was asked to answer, he broke his silence and answered “guilty” to each charge.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder, and additional charges related to possession of the poison ricin and possession of al-Qaeda manuals.
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Judge Julian Goose said in Thursday’s ruling that Rudakbana could be sentenced to life in prison.
Defense attorney Stanley Reyes said he would provide the judge with information about Rudakbana’s mental health that could be relevant to sentencing.
Surviving victims and families of those killed were absent from court as they were scheduled to arrive for opening statements on Tuesday.
Ms. Goose asked the prosecutor to apologize on her behalf for not being present to hear Ms. Rudakubana’s guilty plea.
He pleaded guilty to killing Alice DaSilva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancomb, 7, and Bebe King, 6.
Eight other girls, aged between 7 and 13, were injured, as were instructor Leanne Lucas and Jonathan Hayes, who works at a store next door and intervened. Fifteen other 5-year-old girls were also in the class but were not injured. Due to a court order, the names of the surviving girls cannot be published.
charles iii and taylor swift met individually with some of the victims’ families After the attack.
Police said the stabbing was not classified as an act of terrorism because the motive was unknown.
Several months after his arrest at the scene of the crime, Rudakbana was charged with manufacturing the biological toxin ricin and possessing information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing a terrorist act for allegedly having in his possession a manual. Additional charges were filed. with documents on his computer.
Police said they found the evidence while searching his family’s home in a nearby village.
The day after the killings and shortly after a peaceful vigil for the victims ended, a gang of violent men attacked a mosque near the crime scene, threw bricks and bottles at police officers, and set fire to a police vehicle.
The riots then spread to dozens of other towns over the next week, with groups of mostly men mobilized by far-right activists on social media clashing with police during violent protests and opening up hotels where migrants were staying. attacked.
More than 1,200 people were arrested for the disorder, and hundreds were sentenced to up to nine years in prison.
