A British teenager, Axel Rudakubana, shocked the nation on Monday by pleading guilty to charges of murdering three young girls in a knife attack that took place in northern England in July. The crime, which horrified the nation, was followed by days of nationwide rioting.
Rudakubana, who is 18 years old, changed his pleas from not guilty to guilty on what was supposed to be the first day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court. He admitted to the murder of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, who were attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in the town of Southport in July.
In addition to the murder charges, Rudakubana also pleaded guilty to 10 charges of attempted murder related to the attack. He also admitted to producing the deadly poison ricin and possessing an al Qaeda training manual.
Following the guilty pleas, Judge Julian Goose announced that he would sentence Rudakubana on Thursday, bringing some closure to this tragic and shocking case.
