1 of 2 | Stabbing suspect Axel Rudakubana Wednesday pleaded not guilty in Britain’s Liverpool Crown Court to killing three children and ten counts of attempted murder. The attacks happened at a Southport dance class. Shown are tributes left for victims of the knife attack during a vigil in Southport, Britain Aug. 5. File photo by Adam Vaughn/EPA-EFE
Axel Rudakubana, suspected of carrying out a mass stabbing at a Southport dance class, pleaded not guilty in Britain’s Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday.
The judge entered the pleas to the charges of murder in the killing of three children during Wednesday’s video link court appearance on behalf of the 18-year-old Rudakubana, who refused to speak when asked to enter his pleas. Advertisement
Killed were 9-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, 6-year-old Bebe King, and 7-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe. They were attacked at the Hart Space community center in Southport July 29.
He also pleaded not guilty the attempted murders of 10 other people, including 8 children. Two adults sustained critical stab wounds trying to protect the children.
Rudakubana is also charged with producing the poison ricin and possessing terrorist materials. The judge entered not guilty pleas on the suspect’s behalf to those charges as well.
Rudakubana is scheduled for trial in January at the Liverpool Crown Court. He has denied killing the children.
Following the stabbings in July, more than a hundred people were arrested in civil disturbances and protests in Britain that turned violent. Advertisement
Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC released the suspect’s name, citing whe said was “idiotic rioting” of far-right protesters caused by misinformation that a Muslim immigrant had been arrested in the attacks.
During that rioting at least 53 officers were hurt as crowds pelted them with bricks and other items.
British authorities said the July rioting appeared to be connected to the far-right anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant group English Defense League.
