A court in the northern English city of Liverpool on Thursday sentenced a man to at least 52 years in prison for the murders of three young girls attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Judge Julian Goose described as “evil” the actions of Axel Rudacubana, now 18, who was ultimately sentenced in his absence after being removed from court twice for disrupting the hearing.
The killings in the nearby city of Southport shocked Britain, causing widespread unrest.
“I am convinced that Rudakubana had a definite and determined intention to commit these crimes and that if he had been able to do so, he would have killed each of the children [at the dance class]”All 26 of them, as well as any other adults who crossed his path,” Judge Goose said.
He explained that legally he was not allowed to impose a life sentence without the possibility of parole because Rudakubana was 17 at the time of his crime, but added:
“He will likely never be released and will remain in custody for the rest of his life,” Goose said.
A man in the courtroom shouted “Cowards!” As soon as Rudakubana was taken out.
what the defendant admitted
Rudakubana pleaded guilty to the murder of three girls on Monday; Babe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice DeSilva Aguirre, 9, in the seaside town of Southport.
He also pleaded guilty to 10 charges of attempted murder and production of the deadly poison ricin in the attack.
The defendant also admitted that he possessed information that could be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.
The charge relates to an apparent al-Qaeda training manual which, along with ricin, was found in Rudakubana’s home, where his parents, who are originally from Rwanda, lived.
what did the court hear
During the hearing, Rudakubana repeatedly interrupted prosecutor Dina Heer, shouting: “I need to talk to a paramedic, I feel sick.”
The judge refused to postpone the sentence and asked for it to be removed on two separate occasions.
Heer narrated what happened on the day of the murder in July last year. He said the killings were not motivated by any political or religious ideology.
“His sole aim was to kill and he targeted the youngest, most vulnerable people in order to spread the greatest level of fear and outrage, in which he succeeded,” they said.
“During his arrest at the police station after the incident, Axel Rudakubana was heard saying ‘It’s a good thing those children died… I’m very happy… very happy.'”
Violence related to the killings, fueled by online misinformation that a Muslim asylum seeker was responsible, lasted for several days.
In riots that followed the killings, far-right mobs attacked police, shops, hotels housing asylum seekers, as well as mosques and a library. Hundreds of participants were later arrested and charged.
Despite Rudakubana being 17 years old when the attack was carried out, a ban on reporting his name was lifted in August amid concerns over the spread of misinformation.
Rudakubana’s court behavior has been described as uncooperative throughout his time in court, with him repeatedly refusing to speak and refusing to take the stand on Monday.
rc/nm (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)
