Child suspected of killing three girls at UK dance class named

A teenager who has been charged with murdering three young girls at a dance class has been identified despite him being under age.

A court in the UK has taken the unprecedented step of naming a teen who has been accused of killing three girls at a dance class as riots enveloped several British cities.

Authorities had become concerned that wildly incorrect information was spreading online that the 17-year-old suspect was a migrant that had just arrived in the UK.

That’s despite Police confirming the teenager was born in the UK.

Unrest had been seen outside mosques as protesters target Muslims.

On Thursday, he was named as Axel Muganwa Rudakubana.

Police said his family are of Rwandan descent where 92 per cent of people identify as Christian. Only 2 per cent of Rwandans are Muslim.

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar have been named as the victims of the knife rampage in Southport.

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar died after a knife rampage on Monday in Southport, just north of Liverpool in England’s north west.

The trio had been at a Swift-themed “yoga and dance” holiday club when the horror unfolded.

Eight other children suffered stab wounds and five were in fighting for their life, alongside two adults who were critically injured, police said.

That evening, large crowds fought with police in the town close to where the tragedy had happened including outside a mosque.

Shocking footage from the scene showed bottles and bricks being thrown at police vans as other projectiles hurtled through the air.

Police vans were set on fire and 53 officers were injured. Police made five arrests.

Another 100 people have been arrested at other cities around the UK including Hartlepool, Manchester, Aldershot and London.

Riot police hold back protesters near a burning police vehicle after disorder broke out on July 30, 2024 in Southport, England. (Photo by Getty Images)

The 17-year-old suspect, who was born in Cardiff in Wales but lived in the town of Banks in Lancashire, close to Southport. appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday.

Rudakubana was dressed in a lose fitting grey tracksuit and covered his face for most of the appearance.

He is charged with 10 counts of attempted murder and a knife possession charged. He was remanded into a youth detention facility.

Photos of Rudakubana, when he was younger, show a shyly smiling boy dressed a school uniform.

Neighbours told local paper the Liverpool Echo that Rudakubana’s family were “heavily involved with the local church”, and that they would often hear singing from their house.

Axel Muganwa Rudakubana is charged with three counts of murder 10 counts of attempted murder.

Suspect named

Due to him being a minor, he would not normally have been identified at this stage.

However, Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC rule din favour of media outlets which had request Rudakubana’s identity been made public.

“While I accept it is exceptional given his age, principally because he is 18 in six days’ time I do not make an order (to suppress the suspect’s identity).”

As soon as he turned 18, he would have been able to be identified.

“Continuing to prevent full reporting at this stage has the disadvantage of allowing others who are up to mischief to continue to spread misinformation in a vacuum and runs the risk that when the information becomes publicly available in six days’ time that will provide an additional excuse for a fresh round of public disorder.

“Allowing full reporting will undoubtedly remove some of the misreporting as to the identity of the defendant,” said Judge Menary.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech during a press conference following clashes after the Southport stabbing. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said “action will be taken” against rioters who broke the law.

He described the protests as the “actions of a tiny, mindless minority” and put in motion by “far-right hatred”.

Racist far right group the English Defence League has been cited as one of the chief organisation whipping up disinformation about the suspect’s identity.

Some information online has incorrectly said the suspect was a recent immigrant who crossed the English Channel.

“These thugs are mobile, they move from community to community, and we must have a police response that can do the same,” said Mr Starmer.