Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

ON 18 December 2024, the suspect in the Southport stabbing refused to speak via video-link to Liverpool Crown Court and not guilty pleas have been entered on his behalf.

Axel Rudakubana, now 18, refused to speak when asked to confirm his name and enter his pleas, so not guilty pleas have been entered by the Judge, Mr Justice Goose on his behalf to all the charges he is currently facing trial for murder, attempted murder, and other charges.

Axel Rudakubana is accused of killing 3 children:- Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King, on:- 29 July 2024, in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift themed dance class. He also faces charges of attempted murders of 10 other people, including:- 8 children, at the same event. As well as charges of producing the biological toxin, ricin, and possessing terrorist materials.

Also, not guilty pleas were entered by the Judge to the charges relating to the production of ricin and the alleged possession of an Al Qaeda training manual that had been added to the indictment in October.

We are told that Mr Justice Goose had confirmed that the audio feed could be heard within the room where the defendant was seated in, by a Prison Officer, after asking Rudakubana if Axel Rudakubana could hear proceedings. Axel Rudakubana did not respond. It is also reported that Axel Rudakubana rocked from side to side during the hearing, and occasionally sat with his head bowed thoughout the 25 minute hearing.

Mr Justice Goose said Mr Rudakubana was:- "mute of malice" which is a legal term for a defendant who wilfully refuses to speak when entering his guilty pleas on his behalf.

In total Axel Rudakubana is charged with 16 offences and a trial date that has been previously set for 20 January 2025, will still go ahead. The trial is expected to last up to 4 weeks.

For legal reasions we want to make it clear that the pleas were entered on behalf of Axel Rudakubana.

We would like to warn against speculating about the case. Please remember that disinformation (false information) designed to mislead others in connection to the case is still circulating online and can lead to contempt charges being taken against the desseminators, as the promotion of these claims and theories can be a substantial risk of seriously prejudicing or impeding proceedings.