An 18-year-old British teenager, Axel Rudakubana, unexpectedly pleaded guilty to the murders of three young girls in a knife attack in northern England last July. The crime sparked national horror and triggered days of widespread rioting across Britain.
An 18-year-old British teenager, Axel Rudakubana, unexpectedly pleaded guilty to murdering three young girls in a knife attack in northern England last July. The crime, which sent shockwaves through the nation, was followed by days of nationwide rioting. Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time of the incident, changed his pleas from not guilty to guilty on what was supposed to be the first day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
He admitted to the murders of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, who were attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance event for children during the summer vacation in the town of Southport. Rudakubana also pleaded guilty to 10 counts of attempted murder related to the attack, as well as producing the deadly poison ricin and possessing an Al Qaeda training manual. Judge Julian Goose stated that he would sentence Rudakubana on Thursday, emphasizing that a life sentence was unavoidable. Goose noted that the victims' families were not present to witness Rudakubana's guilty plea as the prosecution's opening statement was not expected until Tuesday. Initially, Rudakubana refused to speak when asked to confirm his name, as he had at previous hearings, leading to not guilty pleas being entered on his behalf in December. However, after consulting with his lawyer, he confirmed his desire to change those pleas.British-born Rudakubana was apprehended shortly after the attack in the tranquil seaside town north of Liverpool. Despite the discovery of the Al Qaeda manual, police have maintained that the incident is not being treated as terrorism-related. In the aftermath of the murders, widespread disturbances erupted in Southport fueled by false reports circulating on social media that the suspect was a radical Islamist migrant. These disturbances subsequently spread across Britain, with attacks targeting mosques and hotels accommodating asylum seekers. Prime Minister Keir Starmer attributed the riots to far-right violence, resulting in the arrest of over 1,500 individuals
Murder Guilty Plea Teenager England Riots Knife Attack Terrorism Al Qaeda
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