Axel Rudakubana Pleads Guilty to Murdering Three Girls in Southport Attack

On 29 July 2024, Axel Rudakubana traveled by taxi from his family home to the Hart Space in Southport, Merseyside. He entered a Taylor Swift-themed dance class attended by girls aged six to 11. , during which Rudakubana used a kitchen knife.

Three girls died as a result of the incident: Bebe King, aged six; Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven; and Alice da Silva Aguiar, aged nine. Eight other children sustained stab wounds, and five were in critical condition. A teacher and a grandfather present at the class attempted to intervene during the attack.

At Liverpool Crown Court in 2025, Rudakubana pleaded guilty to three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder, producing ricin, and possessing a PDF file of Al-Qaeda material. Prior to the attack, Rudakubana had been referred multiple times to the government's Prevent counterterrorism program due to concerns about his interest in violence.

He had been excluded from mainstream school and later from Range High School in Formby in 2019.

Background and Investigation Police searches of Rudakubana's three-bedroom family home revealed ricin, a toxin derived from castor oil plant beans that can be deadly in small amounts if inhaled, injected, or ingested.

' Rudakubana shared the home with his father, a minicab driver, his older brother, and his stay-at-home mother. He had been diagnosed with autism. One week before the attack, Rudakubana attempted to travel by taxi to Range High School, but his father prevented him from leaving.

A former classmate described him to The Guardian as disruptive, and reports to The Times noted that the phrase 'doing an Axel' had become common among peers due to his behavior. Rudakubana had previously been involved in incidents, including carrying a knife at school and attacking someone with a hockey stick.

Aftermath and Statements The attack prompted riots and civil unrest across the UK.

Officials stated that the incident was not classified as a terror attack, as Rudakubana was not motivated by terrorist ideology. Ursula Doyle, deputy chief crown prosecutor with CPS Mersey-Cheshire, described the event as a planned rampage.

“No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as we try to deal with the loss of our little girl Bebe.”

The parents of Elsie Dot Stancombe stated that she enjoyed dancing and cheerleading. Alice da Silva Aguiar's family expressed grief during her funeral, questioning if she had called for them in her final moments. The class had been advertised as including activities such as making bracelets, dancing to Taylor Swift songs, and yoga.