British teenager who killed 3 girls in Southport sentenced to life in prison

The teenager who killed three young girls and injured 10 others in a knife attack on a children’s dance class in Southport, England, last summer was sentenced Thursday to life in prison, with a minimum sentence of 52 years.

The attacker, Axel Rudakubana, 18, pleaded guilty to his crimes earlier this week. He refused to attend the sentencing after a number of outbursts earlier in the day prompted the judge to order him removed from court.

“The harm that Rudakubana has caused to every family, to every child, to the community has been profound and permanent,” said Judge Julian Goose, who presided over the case. “This was such extreme violence, such extreme seriousness and exceptional seriousness, that it is difficult to understand why it was done. »

The judge was unable to give him a life sentence – a life sentence with the stipulation that the attacker should never be conditionally released from prison – because he was only 17 at the time. time of the deadly attack. But Mr Rudakubana must serve a minimum term of 52 years, depending on the sentence, before he could possibly be eligible for parole, with the judge adding that it is unlikely he will ever be released.

Judge Goose noted that Mr Rudakubana was “determined to disrupt the hearing” so as to avoid having to confront his victims’ families.

Mr Rudakubana had appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday morning, wearing a gray tracksuit, with a blue medical mask covering his mouth and nose. As prosecutors began reading details of the case, Mr. Rudakubana shouted: “I need to talk to a paramedic because I feel sick.” »