Southport suspect Axel Rudakubana pleads not guilty to murdering girls in dance class stabbing

The pleas to multiple charges were entered by the court on Axel Rudakubana’s behalf after he didn’t respond

The pleas to multiple charges were entered by the court on Axel Rudakubana’s behalf after he refused to speak (PA)

A teenager has denied murdering three children in a stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, also pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of attempted murder following the knife attack which sparked widespread riots this summer.

Appearing via videolink from HMP Belmarsh at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, he further denied a terror offence and making the poison ricin.

The teenager did not speak when he was arraigned during the pre-trial hearing in front of Mr Justice Goose. Pleas of not guilty were recorded when he did not respond. He is due to stand trial in the New Year.

Six-year-old Bebe King and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe were killed in the 29 July attack, while nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar died from her injuries in hospital afterwards.

Six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died in the attack (PA)

In October the Crown Prosecution Service announced they were bringing two further charges against the suspect but confirmed they are not treating the stabbing as a terror attack.

He is accused of producing a biological toxin after officers discovered a substance which was found to be ricin, a poison found in castor beans, in a search of his home.

They also discovered a PDF file titled “Military studies in the jihad against the tyrants: the Al Qaeda training manual” – a document likely to be useful to someone committing or preparing to commit a terrorist attack.

He is charged with the production of a biological toxin, contrary to Section 1 of the Biological Weapons Act 1974, and possessing the manual under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act.

Police said the attack has not been declared a terrorist incident because no terror motive has been established. No ricin was found to have been present at the scene of the stabbing.

“At this time Counter Terrorism Policing has not declared the events of 29 July a terrorist incident,” Merseyside Police chief constable Serena Kennedy confirmed when she announced the fresh charges.

“I recognise that these new charges may lead to speculation. The matter for which Axel Rudakubana has been charged under the Terrorism Act doesn’t require motive to be established.

“For a matter to be declared a terrorist incident, motivation would need to be established.”

Axel Rudakubana at a previous court hearing (Liverpool Crown Court)

Mr Rudakubana, who was born to Rwandan parents in Cardiff before his family moved to Banks, Lancashire, was 17 at the time of the incident.

The recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC overturned reporting restrictions preventing him from being named due to his age at a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court in August, noting that maintaining reporting restrictions risked misinformation continuing to be spread “in a vacuum”.

A provisional trial date has been set for January next year.

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