Southport ‘triple killer’ Axel Rudakubana refuses to speak at court hearing

THE teenager accused of stabbing three girls to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class refused to speak at his court hearing yesterday.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, sat slouched, held a sweater over part of his face and did not confirm his name on a video link from HMP Belmarsh.

Some 20 members of victims’ families watched at Liverpool crown court.

Rudakubana is charged with murdering Alice Da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, in Southport, Merseyside, on July 29.

The teenager, of Banks, Lancs, is also charged with attempting to murder eight other children and two adults, plus the production of toxin ricin, and having information useful in preparing a terrorist act.

The case is set to go to trial in January.

He appeared last month at Westminster magistrates' court to face additional charges of production of a biological toxin, ricin, and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.

All charges were linked up at the hearing yesterday afternoon and his trial was provisionally set for January 20.

Rudakubana is yet to enter any pleas.

A further trial preparation hearing will take place next month.

Cops say the tragedy has not been declared a terrorist attack.