Taylor Swift Dance Class Knifeman Axel Rudakubana, 18, Pleads Guilty to Murdering Three Girls — And Admits Ricin Terror Plot
Axel Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to murdering three children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last year.
Jan. 20 2025, Published 6:45 p.m. ET
Axel Rudakubana has confessed to carrying out one of Britain's deadliest child attacks.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Rudakubana, 17 at the time, admitted to stabbing and murdering three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last summer, while also confessing to possessing terrorist material and manufacturing the deadly toxin ricin.
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, lost their lives in the July 29 attack.
On the first day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court, the now 18-year-old, wearing a blue face mask, refused to confirm his identity or stand for the judge.
Following a brief exchange with his lawyer, he quietly pleaded guilty to all charges.
Rudakubana also confessed to attempting to murder eight other children, as well as the class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.
Rudakubana eventually confessed to murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
He also confessed to attempting to murder eight other children, whose identities are protected by law, as well as the class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.
The attack happened on July 29, 2024, when the teen entered a Swift-themed dance class at The Hart Space in Southport with a knife.
Rudakubana was arrested on the day of the attack and charged with murder, attempted murder, and knife possession. Three months later, he was also charged with producing ricin and a terrorism offense after police found related items.
Along with pleading guilty to all charges, he further admitted to possessing an training manual, Military Studies In The Jihad Against The Tyrants, The Al Qaeda Training Manual, between August 2021 and July 2024.
Despite the discovery of a terrorist document, the Southport attack was not classified as a terrorist incident.
The hearing, meant to address legal matters before a lengthy trial, lasted just 15 minutes before his lawyer took action.
Rudakubana will be sentenced on Thursday.
Locals left flowers near the scene on Hart Street in Southport after the July attack.
Rudakubana, surrounded by four guards and wearing a grey tracksuit and blue facemask, shocked the court by unexpectedly changing his plea from not guilty to guilty.
He initially refused to stand or confirm his name in court, but after a brief, inaudible exchange with his lawyer, he quietly pleaded guilty to all 16 charges – including the murders of three girls.
With his head bowed and voice muffled by his facemask, Rudakubana entered his pleas before the court moved on to discuss his sentencing.
Mr. Justice Goose asked Rudakubana's lawyer, Mr. Reiz, if there was any additional material to discuss before sentencing.
Reiz mentioned significant mental health issues and prior incidents that could influence the sentence, though he did not elaborate.
Rudakubana kept his head down as the judge confirmed the guilty pleas and set the sentencing for Thursday at 11 a.m., noting a life sentence was inevitable. The defendant was then escorted from the courtroom with his head bowed.
The judge expressed regret that the victims' families were not present – as they had expected the trial to begin the following day – and assured they would be consulted before sentencing.
Rudakubana and his family moved from Cardiff to Banks about 10 years ago, where neighbors described them as "unremarkable."
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Swift was reportedly 'shaken to her core' over the attack happening at a dance class with her music.
One local said Rudakubana typically kept to himself and had little interaction with others, noting only the father, who worked, was ever seen.
Police do not identify suspects before they are charged, and since Rudakubana was 17 at the time of the attack, he remained anonymous after being indicted due to his age.
Swift. 34, was reportedly "shaken" over the attack and reached out to the victims' families with her condolences.
A source told us: "Taylor has quietly and systematically been reaching out to the families of the children caught in the Southport horror, and offering them words of kindness and backstage invites to meet her.
"She feels awful about this and it has shaken her to the core."
