Moments before murder: Chilling footage from taxi shows Southport killer minutes before stabbing three girls to death
23 January 2025, 16:51 | Updated: 23 January 2025, 17:02
Chilling footage shows the harrowing moment child killer Axel Rudakubana strolls up to the entrance of a dance class moments before he murders three girls.
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The 18-year-old has the hood of his green jumper up and a surgical mask on during the 22-second clip which sees him approach the building on Hart Street in Southport.
The taxi dashcam video shows the killer casually walk up and purposefully try the handle of a door.
He then appears to look through the window to the left of the door before knocking on it.
Rudakubana then peers through another window before strolling through an open entrance to the right of the building.
Taxi footage shows Axel Rudakubana travelling to carry out attack
Axel Rudakubana CCTV footage of killer on street near The Hart Space
The video stops as he walks through the open entrance, before the killer then went on to murder Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at the Taylor Swift-themed class shortly before midday on July 29.
Today, the 18-year-old was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years for the murders, amongst other charges.
He also admitted the attempted murders of eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes, producing a biological toxin, ricin, and the possession of an al-Qaeda training manual - a terror offence.
Sentencing him today, the judge confirmed the killer could not be jailed for life because he was 17 at the time of the attack, despite his "determination" to inflict "extreme violence".
He instead ordered Rudakubana to serve concurrent sentence, admitting the teenager "may never be released".
"It was such extreme violence... it is difficult to comprehend why it was done," presiding judge, Mr Justice Goose, admitted.
Earlier in court, Rudakubana was ordered out twice after disrupting the sentecing.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told Axel Rudakubana's sentencing: "Whilst under arrest at the police station after the incident, Axel Rudakubana was heard to say, "It's a good thing those children are dead... I'm so glad... so happy'."
She added: "Having researched atrocities committed by others, the evidence suggests that he set out to emulate them on the 29 July. There is no evidence that he ascribed to any particular political or religious ideology; he wasn't fighting for a cause.
"His only purpose was to kill, and he targeted the youngest, most vulnerable in order to spread the greatest level of fear and outrage, which he succeeded in doing.
"Upon arriving in court today, Rudakubana was promptly removed from his own sentencing, claiming he was too "ill" to continue.
He turned to a dock officer as the opening note was read at his sentencing and said: "I'm not fine, I feel ill."
He shouted repeatedly: "I need to speak to a paramedic, I feel ill. You're not giving me any support judge, I feel ill."
He was removed from the courtroom following the outburst.
Justice Goose said he would be brought back in to be sentenced later in the day.
The prosecution opening continued in his absence.
Axel Rudakubana sentenced to life with 52-year tariff
