Axel Rudakubana, who earlier this week plead guilty to the murder of Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 52 years.
Following a dramatic and often distressing day at Liverpool Crown Court, Justice Goose told the courtroom that Rudakubana “planned to kill as many as he could” and would likely never be released from prison.
Rudakubana avoided a “whole life order”, where he would not have been eligible for parole, due to being under 18 at the time of his offences.
Ahead of his trial, which had been due to start on Monday, Rudakubana dramatically changed his plea to guilty on all charges, despite having previously had “not guilty” pleas entered on his behalf.
Today’s sentencing hearing started in controversial fashion, with Rudakubana disrupting proceedings to demand medical attention, with the court hearing how he had previously been medically assessed as being fit to appear during today’s proceedings. Following a lunch break, Rudakubana again disrupted the hearing and was again removed, being absent for Mr Justice Goose’s final sentencing remarks.
Much of the hearing was used to hear victim impact statements for those present including a number of young survivors, who cannot be named for legal reasons, along with event leaders Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle.
Rudakubana’s sentences will be served concurrently rather than consecutively, meaning they will be served at the same time.
The court heard that Rudakubana had developed an obsessive nature towards historical incidents of terror, violence and genocide, with material found on his electronic devices related to Nazi Germany, the Russian-Ukraine war, the Rwandan Genocide and a “wide range” of related material. However, Police investigators were unable to uncover a firm motive for his attacks, nor why that particular event at Hart Space was targeted.
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said after the sentencing that the investigation into the attack remains “a live investigation” when asked if people who knew Rudakubana could have done more, though she said the force was satisfied that Rudakubana acted alone in his preparation of the attack.
*This breaking news story will be updated*