Southport attacker removed from court after shouting for paramedic

A judge ordered Axel Rudakubana to be removed from court

The court hearing for the sentencing of the 18-year-old is taking place today (23 January).

Rudakubana attacked a Taylor Swift themed dance class in Southport on 29 July last year, murdering three children.

The teenager pleaded guilty on Monday to the murders of Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, and Bebe King, 6.

Rudakubana also admitted producing ricin, possessing terrorist material, and possessing a knife.

He is also being sentenced for the attempted murder of 10 other people.

Moments ago in court, the sentencing was disrupted after the 18-year-old shouted: "I need to see a paramedic because I feel ill."

Judge Justice Goose said: "Shouting from the dock is not going to make this any quicker."

Rudakubana also shouted: "I can't remain quiet. I haven't eaten for 10 days. I feel ill. I'm not going to remain quiet."

The judge subsequently ordered for Rudakubana to be removed from the court room.

By the time of his attack, the perpetrator was well known to the police, having a history of an "obsession with violence".

Red flags had followed Rudakubana, including being kicked out of Range High School in Formby, Merseyside, in October 2019 after he took a knife into school.

He did was permanently expelled, but returned two months later with a hockey stick and attacked another child.

Lancashire Child Safeguarding Partnership said he failed to "re-integrate" into education after his exclusion.

They claim this was "exacerbated by the pandemic".

Lancashire Constabulary also had "several" subsequent interactions with the 18-year-old between October 2019 and May 2022.

It was revealed last week in court that the week before the Southport attacks, Rudakubana had been stopped by his father from returning to his old school after pleading with a taxi driver.

Families of the victims are in court to hear the sentencing.