Vincent McAviney: UK Correspondent on the sentencing of Axel Rudakubana for the killing of three children at a Taylor Swift themed dance class

The 18-year-old killer of three UK girls at a Taylor Swift themed dance class in Southport last year is unlikely to ever be released from prison.  

Axel Rudakubana's been sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in court.  

He was convicted on 16 charges including murdering the girls and attempting to kill 10 others.  

UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Francesca Rudkin he changed his plea to guilty earlier in the week.  

He says Rudakubana acted out in court this morning, yelling that he was unwell, and had to be taken out for the disruption.  

McAviney says it was felt he couldn't be brought back for the reading of the sentences.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joined now by Vincent Makerviny, our UK and Europe correspondent.
Good morning, Vincent, Good morning. The Southport killer has been sentenced.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Yeah, in the past hour he's been sentenced. This is
Axel Ruda Cabana, who you might remember last July killed
three young girls and attempted to murder ten other people
and injured many when he attacked a tailors themed dance
class just at the start of the school summer holidays.
It was due to be a long trial, but when
he appeared in court for the first day earlier in

(00:32):
the week, he changed his plea to guilty and today
there has been the sentencing of this now. He himself
acted out in court this morning, yelling saying that he
was unwell and that he wasn't being looked after. He
was taken out of court for the disruption and it
was felt he couldn't be brought back in for the
reading of the sentences. But he is received. Because of

(00:52):
his age, he cannot be given a whole life sentence,
the most strict category in the UK. He was just
under eighteen, but he's been given a minimum of fifty
two years in jail, which is the longest jail sentence
for someone under the age of eighteen, we think that
has ever been handed down at that point. He would,
you know, face potentially getting to a parole hearing, but

(01:14):
the judge has indicated it's incredibly unlikely he will ever
be released.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
Vincent. How is the US responding to President Trump suggesting
that Europe needs to focus on increasing its defense to
deal with.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
Pousan Well, as we speak right now, Donald Trump is
addressing the World Economic Forum in Davas, and he has
been reading Europe somewhat of a riot act, saying that
they're still not contributing enough to NATO, that they've got
too many tariffs, that they need to start making their
products in the United States, and sort of saying that
they've gone after too many US companies, too much regulation,

(01:48):
particularly citing the tech companies, of course, which he has
a close relationship with. But the other thing that he's
said is that he is blaming. He seems to accept
that Vladimir Puton is to blame for the war in Ukraine,
that illegal invasion. He's warned him that Russia could face
more tariffs and it's plutin to de escalate it. So
it does seem like some of the overtures that Vladimis

(02:12):
Lensky has made over the past couple of years to
Donald Trump have worked to secure his favor, and the
Kremlin has responded saying they're ready for a quote mutually
respectful dialogue on the issue of Ukraine. So we do
believe that behind the scenes, the White House and the
Kremlin are working on some sort of summit between Trump
and Putin, But we might say as well, we might

(02:34):
well also expect some proper dialogue later this year, perhaps
a conference or meeting of the three leaders as they
try to negotiate a ceasefire settlement.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
Vincent macavenny, thank you so much for your time. For
more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to
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