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Horror boast from teen who killed girls

Unsettling video has emerged of a teenager who stabbed to death three girls at a Taylor Swift themed event who has now been sentenced.

How the Southport stabbing attack unfolded

A teenage terrorist who chillingly told police “I’m glad they’re dead” after murdering three girls in a rampage at a Taylor Swift dance class in the UK has been sentenced.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, stabbed Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, to death on July 29 at a community centre in Southport, near Liverpool in England’s north west.

A court in Liverpool on Thursday sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 52 years behind bars, reported The Sun.

Rudakubana had been due to stand trial but on Monday changed his plea to guilty on all 16 charges including three counts of murder and 10 of attempted murder.

Southport stabbing suspect Axel Rudakubana appeared in a promo for the BBC

But during his sentencing on Thursday, UK time, Rudakubana was twice ordered to leave after repeatedly shouting over the judge.

Mr Justice Goose told the court that many people had described Rudakubana’s actions as “evil”.

“Who would dispute it?” he said.

“But, at any view, it was at least the most extreme, shocking and exceptionally serious crime.”

A handout image released by Merseyside Police shows the custody photograph of Axel Rudakubana. (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP)
A handout image released by Merseyside Police shows the custody photograph of Axel Rudakubana. (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP)

Chilling video of killer

Unsettling video has emerged of Rudakubana. It was from the cab that took him to the class, and was released by Merseyside Police.

It shows him leaving a taxi seconds before he began his murderous massacre.

He then heads towards the Hart Space community centre. He tries a door that appears to be locked before finding an open doorway and heading straight in to begin his rampage.

Axel Rudakubana in the back of the taxi before he heads into the community centre. (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP)
Axel Rudakubana in the back of the taxi before he heads into the community centre. (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP)
Axel Rudakubana then looks for an open door. (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP)
Axel Rudakubana then looks for an open door. (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP)
He finds an open door and walks in to begin his murder spree. (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP)
He finds an open door and walks in to begin his murder spree. (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP)

‘It’s good they’re dead’

The court heard that Rudakubana told police “It’s a good thing those children are dead … I’m so glad … so happy”.

As he was held in a custody suite following the rampage, the teen continued: “I don’t care, I’m feeling neutral”.

“Literally, such a good thing those kids are dead, six years old … So happy, six years old. It’s a good thing they are dead, yeah.”

Courtroom outbursts

The shameless triple killer caused further anguish for the victims’ families with his courtroom stunts.

Rudakubana, who had refused to speak during his previous hearings, was removed from dock shortly after the sentencing began shouting, “I feel ill, I’m not fine, I feel ill,” and needed a paramedic.

The court heard he had not eaten for “a number of days”.

As he left, one family member shouted “coward” as others shook their heads.

He was then removed for a second time after lunch when he made another vile outburst.

Victims nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar (L), and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, right. (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP)
Victims nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar (L), and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, right. (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP)

‘Sickening interest in death’

Liverpool Crown Court heard details of the children’s injuries that were so horrific, their parents asked the media not to repeat them.

Prosecutors said the litany of wounds were “difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature”.

This includes stabbing multiple people in the back as they tried to escape the Hart Space community centre.

The court earlier heard Rudakubana had a “sickening interest in death” and had made chilling searches for school massacres before carrying out the rampage.

His morbid fascination saw him flagged three times to anti-terror program Prevent but no further action was taken.

He also contacted a UK child protection line in October 2019 and asked, “What should I do if I want to kill somebody?”

As a result, the killer was free to storm the community centre and begin senselessly knifing terrified children and adults.

Six-year-old Bebe King also died (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP).
Six-year-old Bebe King also died (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP).

Jenny Stancombe, whose daughter Elsie was murdered, said the killer was “cruel and pure evil”.

She added: “We are not going to stand here and list everything you have taken away from us, because we refuse to give you the satisfaction of hearing it”.

“We will not let you know anything about her because you don’t deserve to know the extraordinary person she was.

“You know what you have done, and we hope the weight of that knowledge haunts you every single day.”

Alice’s parents told how their lives were “shattered” and turned upside down by her killing.

They said: “It feels like we’re stuck in a 5D horror movie with moving pictures and moments being relived. We can’t get out”.

“Some moments are easier than others but every day is the same. Alice is not here when we wake up and she never will be.”

(FILES) Police officers and forensic personnel stand behind a cordon on Hart Street in Southport, northwest England, on July 29, 2024, following the knife attack. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)
(FILES) Police officers and forensic personnel stand behind a cordon on Hart Street in Southport, northwest England, on July 29, 2024, following the knife attack. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)

How killings unfolded

The horror unfolded last summer as 26 excited children gathered for the dance class to kick off the summer holidays.

The two-hour event had been organised by instructors Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle at The Hart Space.

Nearby Rudakubana had armed himself with a 20cm knife as he prepared to put his murderous plan into action.

Police officers stand on duty outside The Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts in Liverpool, north west England on January 20, 2025, as people arrive ahead of the trial Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
Police officers stand on duty outside The Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts in Liverpool, north west England on January 20, 2025, as people arrive ahead of the trial Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

Chilling footage showed the killer pacing outside his home before being picked up in a taxi.

Just 30 minutes later, Rudakubana arrived at the community centre as the children sang Taylor Swift songs and made friendship bracelets.

CCTV footage in the cab shows Rudakubana talking to the driver, leaving without paying and then heading into the community centre.

At this point, Ms Lucas opened a window due to the summer heat and saw the masked teen outside but thought nothing of it.

But seconds later, the door opened and Rudakubana stormed into the class and began attacking children and adults at random.

Screams rang out as the killer teen systematically made his way through the room stabbing his victims with the black-handled Cerbera kitchen knife.

As the desperate children tried to flee, Rudakubana chased after them and slashed them from behind.

At 11.57am – 12 minutes after the rampage began – police stormed the scene.

Officers found Rudakubana holding the large, bloodied kitchen knife and he was arrested.

After the horror attack, the teen said “I’m glad they’re dead” as he was held in a custody suite.

Police searching the killer’s home found a shocking cache of weapons – including knives bought on Amazon and crossbow bolts.

Originally published as Horror boast from teen who killed girls

Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/world/horror-boast-from-teen-who-killed-girls/news-story/75c54639cd64d838bc9ea37e68e6b50e