Southport ‘attacker’ refuses to speak for third time in court
The alleged Southport attacker has again refused to speak after appearing in court for a third time accused of murdering three young girls, producing a biological toxin, and a terror offence.
Axel Rudakubana is alleged to have carried out a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Merseyside town in July.
He is also accused of possessing a military study of an Al-Qaeda training manual and making ricin, a biological toxin.
Mr Rudakubana, who is now 18 but was 17 at the time of the attack, denied being responsible for the murders of six-year-old Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.
He is also charged with the attempted murder of Leanne Lucas, a yoga class instructor, John Hayes, and eight children who cannot be named for legal reasons, as well as possession of a knife.
At Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, he appeared via video link from HMP Belmarsh, dressed in a grey tracksuit. He covered his face with his jumper and did not speak when asked to confirm his name or to confirm that he understood what was being said.
Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, said: “As far as the identity of the defendant is concerned, he has taken the same position on every occasion thus far.”
He did not enter any pleas, and another hearing date was set for Dec 12.
Ms Heer applied for the terror offence and the ricin allegation to be joined to the other charges of murder and attempted murder. Mr Justice Goose ordered that the charges be joined.
He asked whether the prosecution could confirm whether it was correct that the first 14 counts, which are of murder, attempted murder and possession of bladed article, were not asserted to be in “furtherance of terrorism”. Ms Heer replied: “That is correct.”
The manual, a PDF titled “Military studies in the jihad against the tyrants: The Al-Qaeda training manual”, and the poison were found during a search of his home in early August, police had previously said.
Mr Rudakubana is accused of being in possession of the document from Aug 29 2021 to July 30 this year. He has been charged under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, of Merseyside Police, previously said the charge did not require a motive to be established.
The knife attack on July 29 has not been declared a terrorist incident by counter-terror police because a possible motive has yet to be determined.
Born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, Mr Rudakubana’s identity was revealed after a judge lifted a reporting restriction following an application made by the press. The attack provoked widespread protests and disorder, fuelled by online speculation about the alleged attacker including false claims that he was an asylum seeker.