A 17-year-old boy accused of murdering three children at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport has been named.
Liverpool Recorder Andrew Menary KC ruled that the accused could be named Axel Rudakubana during Thursday’s hearing.
The teenager was also charged with 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article – described in court as a kitchen knife with a curved blade – after stabbing the crowd on Saturday.
Six-year-old Bebe King and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe died shortly after the incident, while nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar died of her injuries in hospital on Tuesday.
Eight other children were injured, including five who are still fighting for their lives in hospital. Two adults are also critical.
The teenager’s identity was not previously revealed due to his age. However, a judge overturned the reporting restrictions at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday.
The suspect, who was born in Cardiff before his family moved to Banks, Lancashire, will be 18 next Wednesday.
Confirming that he can be named, Judge Menary said: “Continuing to prevent a full report at this stage has the disadvantage of allowing other miscreants to continue to spread false information in a vacuum and risk that information being made available to the public. period of six days’, that will provide an additional reason for a fresh round of public disorder.
“Allowing full reporting would certainly eliminate some of the misreporting of the defendant’s identity.”
He added: “While I accept this is extraordinary given his age, particularly as he turns 18 in six days, I did not make a section 45 order.”
The decision comes after violent disturbances broke out in several locations across the country following the tragedy, with clashes in Southport on Tuesday and more than 100 people arrested in protests in Whitehall on Wednesday night.
The judge said he had to balance the risk to the defendant’s family and himself in his detention with the public interest in accurately reporting his identity to eliminate the distraction of misinformation.
The defendant refused to speak to confirm his name to the judge during the brief hearing.
Dressed in a gray tracksuit and black sandals, he continued down and silently rocked back to the pier.
He is being held at a youth detention center to appear at a plea and pretrial hearing on October 25.
Earlier on Thursday, the teenager appeared in the dock at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court for a preliminary hearing.
He looked at the row of reporters sitting behind the glass dock before being asked to sit down.
The 17-year-old used his left hand to pull his sweatshirt over his face above his nose and kept his head down during the five-minute hearing, during which he did not speak.
The boy is accused of trying to kill two adults named as Leanne Lucas and John Hayes, as well as trying to kill eight children who cannot be named for legal reasons.
He was also accused of having a kitchen knife with a curved blade. The teenager was arrested shortly after the attack.
Remanding him in a youth detention centre, District Judge James Horton said: “You have been charged with violence.”
He then added: “You will appear at the crown court, sitting in Liverpool later today before a more senior judge who will make further direction and determination on this case.”
Announcing that he was charged on Thursday, Merseyside police chief Serena Kennedy said: “A 17-year-old boy from Banks has been charged with the murder of Bebe, Elsie Dot and Alice, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article following the tragic incident in Southport on July 29.
“The 17-year-old cannot be named for legal reasons as he is 18 years old.
“He was remanded in custody to appear (today), Thursday August 1, at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, Derby Square.
“Although these allegations are a significant milestone in this investigation, this remains an ongoing investigation and we are continuing to work closely with our partners from Lancashire Police and counter-terrorism police in the North West.”
