An 18-year-old teen pleaded guilty to charges of killing three girls and wounding 10 other people in a stabbing rampage at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in England last summer. The surprise plea was entered at the start of the trial at Liverpool Crown Court. The teen pleaded guilty to three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder, and additional charges related to possessing the poison ricin and having an al-Qaida manual.
The stabbings, which occurred on July 29, led to a week of rioting across parts of England and Northern Ireland after the suspect, who was born in Wales, was falsely identified as an asylum-seeker who had recently arrived in Britain by boat.
A judge stated that the teen faces life imprisonment when sentenced on Thursday. The defense lawyer mentioned that information about the teen's mental health would be presented to the judge for consideration during sentencing.
The motive behind the rampage has not been disclosed by prosecutors. The violent incidents triggered a week of rioting in various cities, with clashes between far-right groups and law enforcement resulting in numerous arrests and jail sentences.
The teen, born in Wales to Rwandan immigrants, pleaded guilty to the murder of three young girls and the injury of several others, including the dance class instructor and a bystander who intervened. Additional charges were brought against the teen for the production of ricin and possession of terrorism-related information found on his computer.
Authorities have not classified the stabbings as acts of terrorism due to the unknown motive behind the attack. The case continues to unfold as more details emerge during the legal proceedings.
