welcome to bbc news and let us stay with than breaking news that has come there liverpool crown court, because in the last hour, the teenager who murdered three girls in the town of southport has been jailed for life, and for a minimum of 52 years, at liverpool crown court, axel rudaku ba na liverpool crown court, axel rudakubana who is now 18 pleaded guilty to the murder of the girls at a taylor swift themed dance class and the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults. let me take you back to the court and sarah cam well who has —— campbell who has been watching events. over to you sarah. yes it has been a long day in

court for the families, to listen in horrific detail to the events of the 29th ofjuly, 2024. mr the events of the 29th ofjuly, 202a. mrjustice goose finished delivering his sentencing remarks going into great detail as to why he had come to decision he had why he has sentenced axel rudakubana to 52 year, a minimum term of 52 years. forthe year, a minimum term of 52 years. for the attack that he perpetrated against a dance class full of small children. injuly last year. class full of small children. in july last year. let us class full of small children. injuly last year. let us take a listen to those remarks now. i am sure that axel rudakubana had a settled and determined intention to carry out these offences and had he been able to, he would have killed each and every child all 26 of them as well as any adults who got in his way. it was only because

some managed to escape that prevented more from being murdered. i am sure that after the other children, eight of whom he had very seriously injured managed to escape it left him in the upstairs room and landing, where he returned, to continue husband sustain and brutal violence against two of the youngest children, stabbing them multiple times. at demonstrated how determined he was to cause the maximum suffering he could. left alone with them, where they had fallen, he continued shocking and extreme violence. axe accordingly in total i sentence him to 13 sentences of custody for life, and a minimum term to be served in custody, of 51 days and 190 day, it is highly likely that he will never be released. that was the sentencing remarks

from mrjustice goose, he finished speaking in the last 20 minutes or so and handing down a sentence of 52 years. let us bring. to remind us of the significance of that sentence.— the significance of that sentence. , , ., ., ., sentence. so, because axe a axe was not 18 — sentence. so, because axe a axe was not 18 when _ sentence. so, because axe a axe was not 18 when he _ sentence. so, because axe a axe was not 18 when he committed i was not 18 when he committed these crimes he was nine days short of his 18th birthday he couldn't been given a whole life order by law and that means you are given a life sentence but you never walk out again, you can't be released until you die, so he couldn't be given that sentence, one of the reasons that you might be given a whole life order is you might have killed children, in a premeditated way, or you might have killed many people in a premeditated way, and axel rudakubana had not only killed children but he killed lead to of them in frankly very nearly killed more, so if he had been an adult he would have

qualified for a whole life order. what mrjustice goose did, he gave him what is called a minimum term, the time of which earliest moment he could be released from prison by the parole board, is 52 years which means that axel rudakubana can't be released until he is nearly 70 years old, if the parole board considers he is suitable for release and mr justice goose made it clear he thought that probably he would never be released from upon and those remarks do get paid attention to by the parole board, some 50 years hence, it is frankly the easily the longest sentence given to is one of this age, the only time a young person has been given a sentence longer was men the manchester bomber arena's brother was given a longer term, but he was older than 17 or 18, term, but he was older than 17 or18, but term, but he was older than 17 or 18, but in terms of somebody

who is being considered almost a child in thejustice who is being considered almost a child in the justice system it is an enormous sentence, and, just about as big a sentence as mrjustice goose could pass, but nonetheless the mp for southport has already said, that he doesn't think it is enough, and that he would be asking the attorney general to go back to court, and appeal against this sentence, as being what we called unduly lintient and not severe enough. saying here, and not severe enough. saying here. that _ and not severe enough. saying here, that we _ and not severe enough. saying here, that we need _ and not severe enough. saying here, that we need a - and not severe enough. saying here, that we need a sentence j here, that we need a sentence that represents the severity of this crime, that has terrorised the victims and their families, that as you were saying from southport�*s mp, thank you for the moment daniel. i think it is important to remind ourselves why this 52 year sentence has been handed down, my colleaguejudith moritz looks at the background to this case. there are distressing details. he didn't want to be recognised. hood up, mask on,

axel rudakubana skulks in the back of a taxi. he had booked it to take him to heart street in southport, having arrived there the driver asks him how he wants to pay.— there the driver asks him how l he wants to pay._ but he wants to pay. with cash. but he wants to pay. with cash. but he “um -s he wants to pay. with cash. but he jumps out — he wants to pay. with cash. but he jumps out with _ he wants to pay. with cash. but he jumps out with other - he wants to pay. with cash. but he jumps out with other thingsl he jumps out with other things on my mind.s he jumps out with other things on my minds the teenager only had one intent. looking for the taylor swift dance class, first he tries the wrong door and calmly wanders through the one he want, before disappearing up the stairs, towards the children. it was ten minutes before the police arrived, to a scene of carnage. two adults and 11 children stabbed, and three little girls murdered. six—year—old bebe king, and elsie dot stanmore aged seven, didn't stand a chance, nine—year—old alice aguiar managed to get out of the building, but died of her injuries. building, but died of her injuries-_ building, but died of her in'uries. ., ., . injuries. the level of violence used, injuries. the level of violence used. the _ injuries. the level of violence used, the intensity _ injuries. the level of violence used, the intensity of - injuries. the level of violence used, the intensity of the - used, the intensity of the level of violence used, the

intent, it is clear that axel rudakubana went to heart street, intent on notjust committing murder, that day, he wanted to commit mass murder, and injure people with the most severe injury, and that is what he succeeded in doing.- he succeeded in doing. having arrested axel _ he succeeded in doing. having arrested axel rudakubana - he succeeded in doing. having arrested axel rudakubana it i arrested axel rudakubana it wasn't long before the police went to his house. inside, they found chaos, in the lounge a knife on the sofa, and electronic devices full images of war and genocide and there was more in his bedroom, under the bed a machete, a bow and set of arrows, and then a find which brought the search to a sudden stop. ricin, the deadly poison and the equipment to make it. despite all that, the police say that because there is no evidence axel rudakubana subscribed to a particular

political or religious identity it hasn't been declared a terrorist incident but he had been previously been referred to the government's prevent programme three times because of material he viewed online. we have spoken about the growing number of young people with complex fixations with violence and needs that he within our case work, but who have no clear ideology, despite that violent fascination. although improvements to help tackle this challenge have been made, it is right that questions are asked about what more needs to be done across the prevent system and beyond. it has been revealed the week before the attack axel rudakubana tried to get into a taxi, but his father managed to stop him. he had booked it to take him to his former high school. it is thought he was planning an attack there. he had been expelled five years earlier and picture is now

forming of a violent past, carrying naive into school and on a bus and an assaulted on another student. the families of the three girls murdered by the teenager only discovered some of the details for the first time this week. the re ort first time this week. the report to _ first time this week. the report to prevent, - first time this week. the report to prevent, socialj report to prevent, social service, they are new, that is new knowledge, and they are shocked. shocked. but they would like to be part of change, and they are grateful that a public inquiry is being announced to do that. the ta [or announced to do that. the taylor swift _ announced to do that. the taylor swift dance - announced to do that. the taylor swift dance class was billed online, but it is not known what axel rudakubana's reason was for targeting it. do you know anything about why he chose that event? my hypothesis was that obviously _ chose that event? my hypothesis was that obviously he _ chose that event? my hypothesis was that obviously he had - chose that event? my hypothesis was that obviously he had scene| was that obviously he had scene it advertised, i don't know why he picked it and that one of the questions the families want answering, why, why there, why

answering, why, why there, why an event where it was young lady, young girls, was it because of the vulnerability? that piece of the evidence i have not been able to find throughout this investigation. axel rudakubana is barely out of childhood himself. now, he starts his adulthood as a reviled mass murderer, who has left acute distress, profound loss, and a lot of questions in his wake. so the sentencing in the last hour, and more detailings emerging all the time, in terms of police investigation, just bringing you some of that merseyside police, they have released these photographs, taken of evidence gathered from axel rudakubana's home. they show weapons, gathered in a show we