Teenager pleads guilty to Southport murders, sparks nationwide riots

Axel Rudakubana, an 18-year-old from Banks, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to the murder of three young girls—Alice da Silva Aguiar (9), Bebe King (6), and Elsie Dot Stancombe (7)—during a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last July. He also admitted to attempting to murder eight other children and two adults, along with charges of possessing a knife and producing ricin, a deadly toxin. The attack, which occurred on July 29, not only shocked the local community but also led to widespread rioting across the nation. Rudakubana's guilty pleas were made on the first day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court, where he will be sentenced later this week. Despite the possession of an Al-Qaeda training manual found in his home, the attack has not been classified as a terrorist incident. Rudakubana had been in custody since the attack and initially entered a not guilty plea through his defense.