Crime

Killer Axel Rudakubana removed from court after outburst during sentencing

Published

11 months ago

January 23, 2025

AXEL RUDAKUBANA, 18, of Cardiff, was removed from the dock at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday (Jan 23) after launching a shocking outburst during his sentencing for the premeditated murders of three young girls.

He has been jailed for a minimum of 52 years.

The court heard harrowing details of his attack, which took place during a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop at The Hart Space in Southport on July 29, 2024. The victims, Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed in the horrific incident.

***Face of evil: Rudakubana’s police custody photo (Image: Police)***

Rudakubana, dressed in a grey tracksuit and surgical mask, entered the courtroom at 11:45am and immediately placed his head between his knees. He refused to confirm his name when asked. Minutes into the proceedings, he began shouting and was ordered to leave. His outbursts included claims of illness, stating: “I am not fit, I am ill. I need a paramedic.”

Despite his protests, Mr Justice Goose confirmed that paramedics had assessed the defendant and found him fit for sentencing. Defence barrister Stanley Reiz KC informed the court that Rudakubana had not eaten for days and complained of chest pains, but the judge proceeded after Rudakubana’s removal.

The Attack: Premeditation and violence

The court heard the murders were part of a calculated plan by Rudakubana, who had purchased a kitchen knife with a 20cm blade on July 13, 2024, using a VPN to hide his identity. On the day of the attack, he travelled by taxi to the event, armed with the knife. Dashcam footage revealed him asking for directions to The Hart Space before leaving the taxi without paying.

Upon entering the dance studio, where 26 children and two adults were present, he immediately began his rampage, targeting children as they tried to flee. Prosecution barrister Deanna Heer KC detailed the chilling moments, saying, “Screams were heard within 30 seconds of his entry. Many of the wounds inflicted were to the victims’ backs as they attempted to escape.”

Ms Heer described the stabbings as “sadistic in nature,” with several injuries indicating the use of severe force. Rudakubana killed three children and injured 13 others, including instructor Leanne Lucas, 35, and businessman Jonathan Hayes, 63.

Victims and families

***Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed in the horrific incident.***

The parents of the three young girls were present in court but requested that details of their children’s injuries not be reported. In a statement released by Merseyside Police, the families of Alice, Bebe, and Elsie asked for respect and privacy.

Instructor Leanne Lucas sustained life-threatening injuries, including multiple stab wounds to her neck and back. She underwent emergency surgery after suffering significant blood loss. Jonathan Hayes was stabbed in the leg and required surgical repair.

Disturbing evidence uncovered

Searches of Rudakubana’s home in Banks, Lancashire, revealed disturbing materials. Officers found documents on genocide, weapons, and terror manuals, including The Al-Qaeda Training Manual, which he had downloaded multiple times since 2021. The manual included instructions on knife attacks and ricin production.

In his bedroom, police discovered castor beans and equipment used to produce ricin, a deadly toxin. Though evidence suggested the toxin was never used, forensic analysis confirmed that he had created a crude preparation capable of lethal doses.

Other items recovered included a machete, arrows, and a black holdall. In the weeks leading up to the attack, Rudakubana had also researched violent content and purchased weapons online, taking steps to disguise his activities.

A window Into a disturbed mind

Ms Heer told the court, “The material found on his devices provides a window into the defendant’s mind. It shows a fascination with extreme violence and killings.” Evidence included cached images from websites, videos of violent acts, and searches for content related to mass stabbings.

While in custody, Rudakubana made chilling comments, saying: “I’m glad those kids are dead. It’s a good thing they are dead.”

Courtroom outbursts

Throughout the proceedings, Rudakubana disrupted the court with repeated outbursts. After being removed once, he was allowed to return but again shouted for medical attention, leading to his second removal. The judge reassured the public gallery that paramedics had deemed him fit to attend.

The case has shocked the nation, with many struggling to comprehend the calculated nature of the attack and the scale of the tragedy.

Pictured above: Axel Rudakubana being transported to Liverpool Crown Court (Pic: Liverpool Echo)

Crime

Swansea man dies weeks after release from troubled HMP Parc: Investigation launched

Published

5 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man has died just weeks after being released from HMP Parc, the Bridgend prison now at the centre of a national crisis over inmate deaths and post-release failures.

Darren Thomas, aged 52, died on 13 November 2025 — less than a month after leaving custody. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has confirmed an independent investigation into his death, which is currently listed as “in progress”.

Born on 9 April 1973, Mr Thomas had been under post-release supervision following a period at HMP/YOI Parc, the G4S-run prison that recorded seventeen deaths in custody in 2024 — the highest in the UK.

His last known legal appearance was at Swansea Crown Court in October 2024, where he stood trial accused of making a threatening phone call and two counts of criminal damage. During the hearing, reported by The Pembrokeshire Herald at the time, the court heard he made threats during a heated call on 5 October 2023.

Mr Thomas denied the allegations but was found guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to a custodial term, which led to his imprisonment at HMP Parc.

Parc: A prison in breakdown

HMP Parc has faced sustained criticism throughout 2024 and 2025. A damning unannounced inspection in January found:

Severe self-harm incidents up 190%
Violence against staff up 109%
Synthetic drugs “easily accessible” across wings
Overcrowding at 108% capacity

In the first three months of 2024 alone, ten men died at Parc — part of a wider cluster of twenty PPO-investigated deaths since 2022. Six occurred within three weeks, all linked to synthetic drug use.

Leaked staff messages in 2025 exposed a culture of indifference, including one officer writing: “Let’s push him to go tomorrow so we can drop him.”

Six G4S employees have been arrested since 2023 in connection with alleged assaults and misconduct.

The danger after release

Deaths shortly after release from custody are a growing national concern. Ministry of Justice data shows 620 people died while under community supervision in 2024–2025, with 62 deaths occurring within 14 days of release.

Short sentences — common at Parc — leave little time for effective rehabilitation or release planning. Homelessness, loss of drug tolerance and untreated mental-health conditions create a high-risk environment for those newly released.

The PPO investigates all such deaths to determine whether prisons or probation failed in their duties. Reports often take 6–12 months and can lead to recommendations.

A system at breaking point

The crisis at Parc reflects wider failures across UK prisons and probation. A July 2025 House of Lords report described the service as “not fit for purpose”. More than 500 people die in custody annually, with campaigners warning that private prisons such as Parc prioritise cost-cutting over care.

The PPO investigation into the death of Darren Thomas continues.

Crime

Woman stabbed partner in Haverfordwest before handing herself in

Published

6 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Court Reporter

A WOMAN who stabbed her partner during a drug-fuelled episode walked straight into Haverfordwest Police Station and told officers what she had done, Swansea Crown Court has heard.

Amy Woolston, 22, of Dartmouth Street in Milford Haven, arrived at the station at around 8:00pm on June 13 and said: “I stabbed my ex-partner earlier… he’s alright and he let me walk off,” prosecutor Tom Scapens told the court.

The pair had taken acid together earlier in the day, and Woolston claimed she believed she could feel “stab marks in her back” before the incident.

Police find victim with four wounds

Officers went to the victim’s home to check on him. He was not there at first, but returned shortly afterwards. He appeared sober and told police: “Just a couple of things,” before pointing to injuries on his back.

He had three stab or puncture wounds to his back and another to his bicep.

The victim said that when he arrived home from the shop, Woolston was acting “a bit shifty”. After asking if she was alright, she grabbed something from the windowsill — described as either a knife or a shard of glass — and stabbed him.

He told officers he had “had worse from her before”, did not support a prosecution, and refused to go to hospital.

Defendant has long history of violence

Woolston pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding. The court heard she had amassed 20 previous convictions from 10 court appearances, including assaults, battery, and offences against emergency workers.

Defending, Dyfed Thomas said Woolston had longstanding mental health problems and had been off medication prescribed for paranoid schizophrenia at the time.
“She’s had a difficult upbringing,” he added, saying she was remorseful and now compliant with treatment.

Woolston was jailed for 12 months, but the court heard she has already served the equivalent time on remand and will be released imminently on a 12-month licence.

Crime

Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood

Published

10 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.

SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST

Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.

The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.

COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION

Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.

Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.

She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.

The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.