The trial of Axel Rudakubana, 18, who is accused of a knife attack at a dance class last July in the northern English town of Southport that left three children dead and 10 people injured, began on Monday.
Mr. Rudakubana faces three murder charges for the deaths of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, who were participating in a Taylor Swift-themed dance and bracelet-making class during the school’s summer break.
He is also charged with the attempted murder of 10 people, including eight children and two adults, and with possessing a knife for the July 29 attack.
After the stabbing, police searched Mr Rudakubana’s home and said they found ricin, a deadly poison, and a PDF file titled “Military Studies in Jihad Against Tyrants: An Al Qaeda Training Manual”. Mr. Rudakubana was charged later with the production of biological poison and “having information that could be useful to a person who commits or prepares a terrorist act”.
However, the authorities have so far not declared this episode as an act of terrorism. Serena Kennedy, Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, who oversees policing in the region, it is stated in the press release in October that “motivation should be established to declare the matter a terrorist incident”. She added: “We strongly advise caution against speculating about motivation in this case.”
On behalf of Mr. The Rudakubans have pleaded not guilty to all charges. During the court proceedings so far, he refused to speak.
The trial will take place at Liverpool Crown Court and is expected to last around four weeks.
Mr. Rudakubana was born in Cardiff, Wales, to parents who were originally from Rwanda. He was living in Banks, a village north of Southport, at the time of the attack.
It was issued last week by British Attorney General Richard Hermer official consultation reminding social media users and journalists of the risks of contempt of court and warning that inaccurate or speculative comments could influence the jury’s decision. Everything that claims or assumes the guilt of Mr. Rudakubane could face a criminal trial, he warned.
After the Southport attack, Britain was rocked by a series of violent riots, while misinformation about the attacker’s identity swirled across social media and messaging apps. False claims that the suspect is an undocumented immigrant or newly arrived asylum seeker have been amplified by anti-immigration activists and members of the far right.
A few people, including a neo-Nazithey were later found to have helped coordinate the outbreak of unrest, which included attacks on mosques and hotels where asylum seekers were staying, and which resulted in dozens of police officers being injured.
Mr Rudakubana was 17 at the time of the attack and, under English court rules, would normally remain anonymous until he is 18. But days after the attack, a judge took the unusual step of releasing his name in an attempt to combat the spread of misinformation.
Hundreds of people have passed since last summer’s riots packed for their involvement in violent riots across the country, and dozens of people were sentenced to prison terms.
Yvette Cooper, the UK home secretary, said on Monday morning that the trial would be a “deeply traumatic and distressing time for the families of Alice, Bebe and Elsie, the survivors, and the people of Southport and across the country”.
“The most important thing for all of us is to ensure that the legal process can take its course, to respect the difficult work that the court has to do in order to have a fair trial and justice,” she added.
