SNAP POLL: As Axel Rudakubana is sentenced to 52 years in prison, should we have tougher sentences in the UK?
Triple child killer told police he was 'so happy' the girls were dead, court hears
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Triple child killer Axel Rudakubana will serve a minimum sentence of 52 years in prison, Justice Goose has ordered in Liverpool Crown Court this afternoon.
The teenager would have faced a whole life term- meaning he would never have been released- if he was over the age of 18 when he carried out the murders, Justice Goose said.
It means Rudakubana will be 70-years-old before he is eligible for parole, serving the vast majority of his life behind bars.
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were attending a Taylor Swift themed dance class when they were murdered by Rudakubana with a knife he had bought on Amazon.
The horrific murders have ignited debates across Britain about whether sentences should be made tougher in the UK, particularly for the most abhorrent crimes.
Proponents argue tougher sentences would give more closure to victims' families and deter the most serious crimes.
But critics say there is little evidence longer sentences truly deter the worst crimes, arguing for an emphasis on rehabilitation, not time behind bars.
Reacting to the sentencing, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “The thoughts of the entire nation are with the families and everyone affected by the unimaginable horrors that unfolded in Southport. No words will ever be able to capture the depth of their pain.
“I want to say directly to the survivors, families and community of Southport – you are not alone. We stand with you in your grief.
“What happened in Southport was an atrocity and as the judge has stated, this vile offender will likely never be released.
“After one of the most harrowing moments in our country’s history we owe it to these innocent young girls and all those affected to deliver the change that they deserve.”
Kemi Badenoch said: "Axel Rudakubana should never be released from prison. His age means he has not been given a whole life sentence, despite the countless lives he destroyed on that dreadful day, and the legacy of mistrust he has sown across the country.
"There is a strong case here for amending the law to give clear judicial discretion to award whole life sentences to under 18s, which the Conservatives will start to explore."
