Southport killer Axel Rudakubana joins infamous list of cowardly criminals who hid in their cells during sentencing
24 January 2025, 08:23
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has joined an infamous group of cowardly criminals too scared to face the courtroom during their sentencing.
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On Thursday, Rudakubana was sentenced to 52 years in jail for the murder of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport.
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, when Rudakubana launched his attack in July last year.
But as the judge announced his sentence, following shouts of “I’m ill”, Rudakubana cowered in his cell, refusing to face the families of his victims.
Tom Swarbrick cries on air after hearing about the Southport killings
Lawyers acting on behalf of the child killer said: “The defendant does not want to re-enter the room and if he is forced he will be disruptive.”
By hiding away in his cell, Rudakubana joins Lucy Letby, Thomas Cashman and Jordan McSweeney in cowardly failing to face the court during their sentencing.
While the Prime Minister has pledged to give judges greater powers and force criminals to face their sentencing, these rules are yet to come into place.
Lucy Letby
Lucy Letby refused to appear in court or via videolink when she was being sentenced for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of another six in August 2023.
The former nurse is serving a rare whole-life sentence for murdering seven babies and trying to kill seven others while working as a neo-natal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
She was convicted in August 2023 and was refused permission to appeal against the convictions in May and October 2024.
During her sentencing, she sat in the cells of Manchester Crown Court, failing to face the families of the children she murdered.
Jordan McSweeney
Violent criminal Jordan McSweeney was handed a life sentence and jailed for at least 38 years after admitting to sexually assaulting and murdering a 35-year-old law graduate Zara Aleena in Ilford, east London, in June 2022.
He did not appear for the sentencing of his crimes to Aleena and refused to come out of his cell.
At the time, the judge said: "The defendant's decision not to come up from the cells to court to hear the devastating impact of his crime shows that the man who took Zara Aleena's life has no spine whatsoever."
The murderer then failed to appear via video link at Woolwich Crown Court because he "can't be bothered", staff at HMP Long Lartin told the court.
Ms Alenna's aunt, Farah Naz, described this as a “slap in the face.”
She told the BBC: “My mother and myself, Zara's grandmother, made victim impact statements. We wanted him to hear that.
“Human to human, we wanted him to know the impact that he, his actions, his atrocious, horrendous, horrific actions have left, the mark that he's left on us, that he's completely destroyed us as a family and we have years and years of finding a way through accepting what's happened.”
Koci Selamaj
Koci Selamaj, 36, was branded a coward after failing to appear at his sentencing for the “savage” murder of Sabina Nessa
He hit her 34 times over the head with a metal traffic sign as the 28-year-old primary teacher walked through a park in south-east London.
He was jailed at the Old Bailey for a minimum term of 36 years for her murder.
The Met's Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who led the investigation, said the case "struck at the heart of the fears of many women" who should be allowed to walk home safe.
Selamaj was branded a "coward" by Ms Nessa's sister, Jabina Islam, after he failed to appear in court as he underwent mental health evaluation at Broadmoor.
“You are an awful human being and do not deserve your name to be said. You are a disgusting animal," she said.
Thomas Cashman
The drug dealer who shot a nine-year-old girl dead during a botched gangland hit refused to face the judge as he was sentenced to life in prison.
Thomas Cashman remained in his cell as he was sentenced for shooting Olivia Pratt-Korbel at her home in the Knotty Ash area of Liverpool.
The coward killer said the proceedings had descended into a "circus" and the court heard he refused to attend as he was aware that the CPS were singing We are the Champions following the verdict in his trial.
Cashman's counsel, John Cooper KC, said: "He has been spoken to and been given certain advice but he is concerned that the matter is turning into a circus."
Mrs Justice Yip said she regarded his lack of attendance as "disrespectful" to not only the court but those interested in proceedings, including the family of the deceased.
