A teenager accused of murdering three children in a stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport has appeared in court charged with a terror offence and making the poison ricin.
Axel Rudakubana appeared via videolink from HMP Belmarsh at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday after police and the Crown Prosecution Service announced the new charges.
He is accused of producing a biological toxin after officers discovered a substance which was found to be ricin, a poison found in castor beans, in a search of his home.
They also discovered a PDF file titled “Military studies in the jihad against the tyrants: the Al Qaeda training manual” – a document likely to be useful to someone committing or preparing to commit a terrorist attack.
He is charged with the production of a biological toxin, contrary to Section One of the Biological Weapons Act 1974, and possessing the manual under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act.
The 18-year-old did not respond when he was addressed by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring and kept his grey prison issue tracksuit pulled over his face during the brief hearing.
He did not respond when asked to confirm his name, and a security officer with him at the prison told the court he had chosen not to speak.
Stan Reiz KC, defending, said: “Mr Rudakubana has remained silent at previous hearings as well.
“For reasons of his own he has chosen not to answer the question.”
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC made an application for the new charges to be linked to others he is facing over the stabbing in Southport.
He has previously been charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article over the 29 July attack, which sparked widespread riots.
Six-year-old Bebe King and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe were killed in the attack, while nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar died from her injuries in hospital afterwards.
The attack has not been declared a terrorist incident because no terror motive has been established, police confirmed as they announced the new charges at a press conference on Tuesday. No ricin was found to have been present at the scene of the stabbing.
“At this time Counter Terrorism Policing has not declared the events of 29 July a terrorist incident,” Merseyside Police chief constable Serena Kennedy said.
“I recognise that these new charges may lead to speculation. The matter for which Axel Rudakubana has been charged under the Terrorism Act doesn’t require motive to be established.
“For a matter to be declared a terrorist incident, motivation would need to be established.”
Dr Renu Bindra, from the UK Health and Security Agency, said a thorough risk assessment had been undertaken following the discovery of ricin.
“There was no evidence that any victims, responders or members of the public were exposed to ricin, either as part of the incident or afterwards,” she added.
Most people impacted by ricin poisoning would develop symptoms within 24 hours of exposure, she added.
Sarah Hammond, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised two further charges against Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 18, from Banks in Lancashire.
“Axel Rudakubana already faces three charges of murder, 10 charges of attempted murder and one charge of possession of a knife – all relating to the incident at Hart Street, Southport on 29 July 2024.
“The two further offences relate to evidence obtained by Merseyside Police during searches of Axel Rudakubana’s home address, as part of the lengthy and complex investigation that followed the events of 29 July 2024.”
Far-right riots erupted across the country in the wake of the incident after misinformation about the suspect’s identity spread on social media. More than 1,000 arrests have since been made and hundreds charged and jailed.
Mr Rudakubana, who was born to Rwandan parents in Cardiff before his family moved to Banks, Lancashire, was 17 at the time of the incident.
The recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC overturned reporting restrictions preventing him from being named due to his age at a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court in August, noting that maintaining reporting restrictions risked misinformation continuing to be spread “in a vacuum”.
He was remanded in custody to appear at a plea and trial preparation hearing before Mr Justice Goose at Liverpool Crown Court on 13 November.
A provisional trial date has been set for January next year.
