Moment Axel Rudakubana entered Taylor Swift dance class

Ben Haslam
·4-min read

Footage of the moment Axel Rudakubana entered the studio has been released after he was sentenced to life in prison today.

Rudakubana was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years behind bars for the murders of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar. On the day of the attack on July 20 last year, the now-18-year-old chillingly entered the studio, hidden in an industrial estate next to a fishing shop and offices just off Hart Street, where he inflicted 12 minutes of horrific violence, taking the lives of three little girls.

His journey began when he left the house, wearing a green hooded jumper, black joggers, trainers and walked to a nearby bus stop where he rang a taxi to collect him from his home on Old School Close to take him to Hart Street in Southport. The taxi arrived and he directed it to 34a Hart Street, the address of The Hart Space studio.

READ MORE: Footage shows final movements of Axel Rudakubana before Southport murders

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READ MORE: The red flags and missed chances to stop Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana

When he arrived on the quiet residential street, he asked the driver where 34a could be found before he left the taxi refusing to pay for the fare. He mistakenly walked to the entrance of Masters Vehicle Body Repairs while being followed by the taxi driver who asked him to pay the fare.

The owner of the garage, who was speaking to a customer at the time, told the teen to pay up before he replied: "What are you going to do it about it?" Rudakubana walked away and down the correct entry to the business estate before trying to open a locked door to the building and entering through an open door which leads to a set of stairs. The footage shows him entering the building before he walks up to the first floor studio.

Due to the hot weather, class organiser Leanne Lucas had opened the window of the studio where she saw the slightly built teenager outside, thinking nothing of it. But as he entered the room where the class were making friendship bracelets, he grabbed a girl and began the horrific 12 minute attack.

He systematically worked his way around the room, injuring as many children as he could and inflicting wounds on six-year-old Bebe King and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe that were so severe they died before making it out of the studio. Within 30 seconds of him entering screams were heard, as a day that should have been filled with joy at the beginning of the summer holidays turned into unimaginable horror.

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Businessman John Hayes ran in to help but suffered stab wounds at the hands of the violence-obsessed teenager, with Ms Lucas also suffering serious injuries in her attempts to protect the 26 children she had welcomed into her class. Nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar suffered serious injuries before running from the scene and collapsing outside the car of a waiting mum who scooped her up and put her in her car along with her own daughter and two other children.

Alice died in the early hours of the following day. Rudakubana's rampage continued as he stabbed children in the back, and even pulled one fleeing girl back into the building before she could escape his sickening violence.

Police officers then arrived at the Hart Space, with one drawing a taser and demanded that the teen drop the bloodied weapon. He complied with the orders and by 12.02pm he had been arrested on suspicion of murder.

In the days and weeks that followed, police discovered just how deep his obsession and fixation was with violence, murder and genocide. A host of books, manuals and booklets were found, all about historic tragedies, from Nazi Germany to the Rwandan genocide.

The 18-year-old admitted murdering the three little girls earlier this week and returned to Liverpool Crown Court today, Thursday, in order to be sentenced. He had previously refused to speak during any of his prior court appearances, with High Court judge Mr Justice Goose having entered not guilty pleas on his behalf.

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But his counsel Stanley Reiz KC asked for Rudakubana to be rearraigned on Monday, the day he was due to stand trial. And the teenager then pleaded guilty to murdering six-year-old Bebe, seven-year-old Elsie and nine-year-old Alice, who were stabbed to death during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class at the Hart Space in Southport on July 29 last year.

He further admitted attempting to murder eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and two adults, Leanne Lucas and John Hayes, who also suffered serious knife wounds during the incident. Rudakubana remained absent as he was ordered to spend at least 52 years behind bars before becoming eligible for release on licence.

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