Axel Rudakubana, 18, is accused of murdering six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar in Southport
A teenager accused of murdering three young girls in Southport has pleaded not guilty.
Pleas of not guilty were entered on behalf of Axel Rudakubana, 18, after he failed to reply when arraigned at Liverpool Crown Court.
He is accused of killing six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar. About 15 family members, including Alice’s parents, were in the public gallery for the hearing.
Rudakubana also denied 10 counts of attempted murder following a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport. He is accused of attempting to murder eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and two adults, Leanne Lucas and John Hayes, who were also stabbed during the incident.
The teen is also charged with possession of a bladed article in a public place, namely a kitchen knife with a curved blade, the production of a biological toxin (namely a quantity of ricin), and possession of document likely to be useful to person preparing act of terrorism (namely an “Al Qaeda training manual”).
Not guilty pleas were entered on all charges. The judge confirmed a trial is planned to begin on January 20 and is expected to last no more than four weeks.
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