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Teenager admits murder of Southport girl that sparked UK riots
A British teenager confessed to murdering three girls in Southport, sparking nationwide unrest. The case raises questions about security and extremism.
Teenager admits murder of Southport girl that sparked UK riots
A British teenager confessed on Monday and three young girls confessed to one in July Knife attack murdered in the north of England. This cruel act shocked the nation and led to days nationwide unrest.
Indictment and guilty plea
Axel Rudakubana, aged 18, changed his plea at Liverpool Crown Court from not guilty guilty on the day that was scheduled to be the first day of the trial. He confessed to the murder of Bebe King (aged 6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (aged 7) and Alice Dasilva Aguiar (aged 9), who were present during a Taylor Swift-inspired dance event in the town of Southport.
More charges
Rudakubana's charges also include 10 counts of attempted murder related to the attack, as well as possession of the deadly poison ricin and an al-Qaeda training manual. Judge Julian Goose announced he would sentence Rudakubana on Thursday and said a life sentence was inevitable. He noted that the victims' families were not present when Rudakubana pleaded guilty as the prosecution's opening statement was not expected to occur until Tuesday.
The circumstances of the crime
Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time of the incident, had initially remained silent when asked to confirm his name. This also happened at all previous hearings, resulting in a not guilty plea being entered on behalf of Rudakubana in December. However, after consulting his lawyer, he confirmed that he wanted to change his plea.
Investigations and social reactions
British-born Rudakubana was arrested shortly after the attack in the quiet seaside town north of Liverpool. Despite the discovery of the al-Qaeda manual, police and authorities have said the incident is not classified as terrorism-based. Following the murders, there was widespread unrest in Southport after false reports spread on social media that the suspect was a radical Islamic migrant.
Consequences of the riots
These riots spread across Britain, with attacks on mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers. Prime Minister Keir Starmer blamed right-wing extremist groups for the riots. More than 1,500 people were arrested.
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