Harrowing footage of the moment one of the girls attacked by Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana tried to escape but was dragged back inside has reduced a courtroom to tears.
Horrific CCTV was played to Liverpool Crown Court including scenes showing one child trying to leave the Hart Place building in the Merseyside seaside town but being pulled back in as teenager Rudakubana carried out his rampage last July.
Gasps and sobs were heard from the public gallery as the girl was seen to re-emerge and collapse on the floor outside.
One woman in the public gallery put her hand over her face and sobbed, being comforted by those sitting next to her, as the video was played.
Rudakubana was today being sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting the murders of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last year.
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, died following the attack in the seaside town on July 29, 2024.
Rudakubana also admitted, on Monday this week, the attempted murder of eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as well as class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.
And he further pleaded guilty to possession of a knife on the day of the attack, production of a biological toxin – ricin – on or before July 29, and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.
Axel Rudakubana, pictured during an earlier hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, is being sentenced today
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, was one of the three children killed in the knife attack in Southport
Bebe King, six, was also killed in the knife attack at The Hart Space in Southport last July
Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, was among the three little girls killed in the attack in Southport
Revelations earlier this week following Rudakubana’s guilty pleas included:
Family members were given the option to leave court at today’s sentencing hearing ahead of CCTV being played, but all remained in the court – though some left as details of pathological evidence began to be read out.
Rudakubana said ‘I’m glad they’re dead’ after being arrested for fatally stabbing three girls at a dance class, the court was told today.
As the prosecution read their opening note, Rudakubana turned to a dock officer and said: ‘I’m not fine, I feel ill.’ He shouted repeatedly: ‘I need to speak to a paramedic, I feel ill. You’re not giving me any support, judge, I feel ill.’
When the judge tried to carry on with the case, Rudakubana exclaimed: ‘Don’t continue. I can’t remain quiet. I haven’t eaten for 10 days. I feel ill. I’m not going to remain quiet.’
A family member shouted ‘coward’ as Rudakubana left the dock after Mr Justice Goose ordered officers to take him out of court.
The prosecution then continued reading their opening, with the judge saying Rudakubana would be returned to court to receive his sentence.
Rudakubana was removed from the dock for a second time this afternoon as the hearing resumed, after he began to shout.
After sitting quietly for a short period with his head lowered he shouted: ‘Judge! I feel really ill, I need to be seen by a paramedic.’
When there was no response, Rudakubana shouted: ‘Judge! Judge! Judge! I need to be seen by a paramedic.’
Mr Justice Goose asked dock officers to remove Rudakubana, adding: ‘He has been seen by two teams of paramedics, both of whom agreed he is fit.’
Earlier, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said the fiend carried out a ‘pre-meditated, planned knife attack upon multiple victims, principally young girls, intending to kill them’ and inflicted injuries that were ‘difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature’.
She told the court that while Rudakubana was being held in a custody suite after the killings, he told officers: ‘It’s a good thing those children are dead… I’m so glad… so happy.’
A prison van containing Rudakubana arriving at Liverpool Crown Court for his sentencing
In her opening of the case, Ms Heer told the court: ‘Three children were killed, two of whom suffered particularly horrific injuries which are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature; and the defendant attempted to kill 10 others, inflicting a number of stab wounds upon them, including to their backs as they tried to escape.’
Ms Heer told the court that images and documents were found on Rudakubana’s devices ‘which demonstrated that he had a long standing obsession with violence, killing and genocide’.
‘Amongst those documents was a version of the Al-Qaeda training manual, which provides instruction on how to commit acts of terror, including with a knife and with poisons, including ricin,’ she added.
A number of weapons were also recovered in searches of his home, including the biological toxin ricin which the defendant had produced in his bedroom.
Ms Heer added: ‘Having researched atrocities committed by others, the evidence suggests that he set out to emulate them on the 29 July. There is no evidence that he ascribed to any particular political or religious ideology; he wasn’t fighting for a cause.
‘His only purpose was to kill, and he targeted the youngest, most vulnerable in order to spread the greatest level of fear and outrage, which he succeeded in doing.
‘Whilst under arrest at the police station after the incident, Axel Rudakubana was heard to say, ”It’s a good thing those children are dead… I’m so glad… so happy”.’
Describing what happened at the Hart Space, Ms Heer said dance teachers Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle were with children who were gathered around tables making bracelets singing along to Taylor Swift songs.
The murderer pictured in a police mugshot
Rudakubana had taken a taxi from his family home in Banks, five miles from Southport.
He did not speak during the journey and left without paying, prompting the driver to follow him asking for payment.
Colin Parry, the owner of a neighbouring garage, told Rudakubana he needed to pay ‘but the defendant’s response was ‘what are you going to do about it?’, Ms Heer said.
Rudakubana went up the stairs within the Hart Space building.
Ms Heer went on: ‘Within 30 seconds, screaming could be heard coming from within, followed very shortly afterwards by children fleeing the building.’
The prosecutor gave details of a statement from Ms Lucas saying she had seen Rudakubana outside in a green hoodie and mask as she opened a window due to it being a hot day.
Ms Lucas then described how he walked into the upstairs room where the dance class was happening.
Ms Heer said: ‘Without saying a word, he grabbed the child nearest to him from behind and put his arm around her. She (had been) at a table making a bracelet. Then he moved to a second child, then a third. He moved quickly through the room without saying anything.
‘It was only when she (Ms Lucas) reached her and she felt the knife that she realised he was armed and stabbing the children.
‘She recalls seeing a flash of the defendant’s green top as he chased her. She was frightened they wouldn’t be able to get out quickly enough. She told (the children): ‘run away, run away’.
The court then heard evidence from John Hayes, a businessman based in neighbouring premises within the Hart Space building.
He heard screaming and went out of his office to be confronted by Rudakubana on the landing, holding a knife while standing over the body of one of the girls, Bebe King, six.
There was a heavy police presence at Liverpool Crown Court ahead of Rudakubana’s sentencing
Ms Heer said Mr Hayes ‘backed away’ followed by Rudakubana.
Ms Heer said: ‘He followed him into his office. The defendant swiped at him. Mr Hayes tried to grab the knife and the defendant stabbed him in the leg’.
Mr Hayes then collapsed.
Outside, window cleaners Marcin Tyjon and Joel Verite ‘saw children running and a woman covered in blood’.
Mr Verite picked up Alice da Silva Aguiar and took her to Mr Tyjon, who tried to revive her before emergency services could arrive.
Mr Verite went inside Hart Space to try to rescue children but ‘retreated when he saw the defendant holding a large knife’.
The court heard that ‘a number of people dialled 999’ and the first police to attend, at 11.57am, were Sergeant Gregory Gillespie and Sergeant Luke Holden, who was armed with a taser.
Ms Heer said: ‘At the top of the stairs, they saw the defendant. He was standing over the body of Bebe King, who had visible stab injuries, and was holding a large bladed knife.’
Rudakubana was told to drop the knife ‘and he did so’, Ms Heer added.
The officers moved into the room where the dance class was being held and found the body of Elsie Dot Stancombe on the floor.
The court was shown a series of CCTV footage showing the defendant arriving and children fleeing.
In one clip, an eight year-old girl who survived, could be seen being pulled back inside by Rudakubana.
A further clip showed police finding one child and dance teacher Ms Liddle crying in the toilet.
The police officer tells Ms Liddle: ‘Listen, listen, listen, you’re safe.’
For more on this case, search for ‘The Trial: The Southport Dance class’ wherever you get your podcasts now.