Axel Rudakubana, an 18-year-old man who pleaded guilty to the murder of three young girls during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the UK, has been sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in prison.
In July, Rudakubana, then 17, carried out a knife attack at a dance and yoga studio in Southport, England, resulting in the deaths of 7-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, 9-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, and 6-year-old Bebe King. Ten others were also injured in the attack.
Although he was underage at the time, Rudakubana’s sentence does not include a life term but will likely see him imprisoned for the rest of his life, according to Mr. Justice Goose, who presided over the sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court.
Rudakubana initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty this week before his trial began. He faced charges including three counts of murder, ten counts of attempted murder, and two terror-related offenses.
The court heard that the attack was premeditated, and Rudakubana had told police afterward that he was “glad” the children had died. The charges also revealed the discovery of ricin, a deadly toxin, at his home, as well as possession of an Al-Qaeda training manual.
Further information revealed that Rudakubana had previously brought a knife to school, contacted a helpline asking, “What should I do if I want to kill somebody?” and had been referred three times to the anti-extremism program Prevent.
During the sentencing, families of the victims and survivors gave emotional statements.
Leanne Lucas, the 36-year-old dance instructor who survived multiple stab wounds, described the attack as an act of targeting vulnerable women and girls. She said, “The impact this has had on me can be summed up by one word: trauma. He targeted us because we were women and girls, vulnerable and easy prey.”
In response to the tragedy, Taylor Swift expressed her shock and sorrow, writing, “The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families and first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class.” Swift later met with survivors and their families during her London shows at Wembley Stadium in August.
