Axel Rudakubana pleads guilty to triple murder, awaits sentencing

Axel Rudakubana, 18, has pleaded guilty to the murders of three young girls, Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, during a violent attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29, 2024. In addition to the murder charges, he admitted to attempted murder of eight other children and two adults, as well as possession of a knife and production of the biological toxin ricin. Despite the gravity of his crimes, Rudakubana has largely remained silent during court proceedings, only responding with guilty pleas to charges read against him. His previous history of violence against children includes a separate incident involving a hockey stick attack at his school when he was 13. The attack has sparked widespread outrage and unrest in Southport and beyond, leading to riots as the community mourns. Rudakubana is set to be sentenced on Thursday.