Axel Rudakubana's dad begged taxi driver not to take him to former school - just one week before Southport stabbing attack
Teenager Axel Rudakubana was stopped from getting in to a taxi by his dad, just days before he killed three girls at a dance party.
Rudakubana has been described as having “a sickening interest in death and violence” and was stopped from taking the vehicle to his former school. The 18-year-old was due to start his trial today for the murders of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party.
However, he changed his pleas to guilty today, after Rudakubana's counsel Stanley Reiz KC told presiding judge Mr Justice Goose that the indictment would have to be put again to the teenager, who had refused to talk in court before now. The teenager also admitted to 10 counts of attempted murder; possession of a bladed article in a public place; production of a biological toxin, namely ricin, and possession of information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, namely a PDF file entitled "Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual".
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Following the pleas, the ECHO revealed Rudakubana had attempted to take a taxi to his former school Range High School in Formby, on July 22 2024. Sources confirmed to the ECHO that Rudakubana was permanently excluded from the school in October 2019 after he was found with a knife.
The ECHO reported today that the teen returned to the school with a knife and a hockey stick before attacking a pupil two months later. Sources confirmed to the ECHO about the failed attempt to return to the school in the weeks after he was charged with murder.
Rudakubana booked the taxi at 12.20pm, just minutes before the pupils would have finished for the summer holidays. To book the vehicle, he used a fake name, Simon, just as he did a week later when he carried out the mass stabbing attack.
He also wore the same green hooded jumper and surgical mask, but his plans were thwarted by his dad. Alphonse ran out of the house and pleaded with the driver not to take his son to the school.
Rudakubana got back into the house following an argument, but carried out the brutal attacks just a week later. He left for Hart Street that morning and ordered a taxi, waiting for it a little further down the road.
He entered the room where the Taylor Swift-themed dance party was taking place and started grabbing children and stabbing them. Moving “systematically through the room”, he stabbed terrified children and brave adults including Leanne Lucas and Jonathan Hayes ran to help.
At 12.02pm, Rudakubana was arrested after officers detained him at the scene and he was charged with murder and attempted murder in the days after the incident. In October 2024, he was further charged in October 2024 with production of ricin and possession of the military study of the Al-Quada training manual. Although he was charged under the Terrorism Act in relation to the latter, the mass stabbing was not declared a terrorist incident as “motivation would need to be established”.
However, an official document seen by the ECHO stated Rudakubana was referred to Prevent - a multi-agency taskforce spearheaded by Counter Terrorism Policing tasked with preventing vulnerable people from being drawn into criminal behaviour - on three separate occasions. The ECHO understands one of the referrals came after he was found to have researched terror attacks.
It is understood Rudakubana attended two specialists schools, The Acorns School in Lancashire and Presfield High School & Specialist College in Southport following his expulsion, and teachers were concerned about his behaviour. His in-person attendance at Presfield was less than 1%, it is understood.
Following his conviction, Ursula Doyle, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS Mersey Cheshire, said: “This was an unspeakable attack - one which left an enduring mark on our community and the nation for its savagery and senselessness. At the start of the school holidays, a day which should have been one of carefree innocence - of children enjoying a dance workshop and making friendship bracelets, became a scene of the darkest horror as Axel Rudakubana carried out his meticulously planned rampage.
“It is clear that this was a young man with a sickening and sustained interest in death and violence. He has shown no sign of remorse. The prosecution was determined to prove his guilt and I am deeply grateful that today’s plea has spared the families at the heart of this case the pain of having to relive their ordeal through a trial.
“Today, our thoughts are with all those whose lives were altered by what happened on that day. Most of all, we think of Elsie, Bebe, and Alice – the three beautiful young girls whose lives were cut short – and wish strength and courage to the families who loved and cherished them.”