Reuters
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A British teenager who murdered three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party was sentenced Thursday to at least 52 years in prison for atrocities deemed so violent that it appeared he attempted a beheading one of the victims.
On Monday, Axel Rudakubana, 18, admitted committing the murders last July in the northern English town of Southport, a crime that was followed by days of nationwide rioting.
Rudakubana will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for the murders of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, who were among 26 children attending the holiday. summer.
He also pleaded guilty to 10 counts of attempted murder, as well as producing ricin, a deadly poison, and possessing an al-Qaeda training manual.
Two of his victims suffered “horrific injuries which… are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature”, prosecutor Deanna Heer told Liverpool Crown Court.
Judge Julian Goose described Rudakubana’s actions as “wrong”, saying: “I am sure that Rudakubana had the firm and determined intention to commit these offenses and that, had he been able to do so, he would have killed every child , every 26 years. of them, as well as any adults who got in his way.
The judge sentenced Rudakubana in his absence after he refused to return to court, having been ejected twice for interrupting the hearing.
Goose said the law did not allow him to impose a life sentence without the possibility of parole, given that Rudakubana was 17 at the time of the crimes, but added: “It is likely that he will not will never be released and will be in detention for the rest of his life. »
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