The Attorney General has announced he will not refer the sentence of Southport child killer Axel Rudakubana to the Court of Appeal.
Rudakubana, 18, was jailed for a minimum of 52 years in January after murdering three young girls at a dance class in Merseyside last July.
The sentence, one of the highest minimum custody terms on record, had sparked criticism from victims' families and MPs who called for tougher penalties.
Attorney General Lord Hermer KC said there was "no realistic legal basis for an increased sentence" after consulting with legal experts.
Rudakubana will not have his sentence overturned
Getty/Handout
In a statement, Lord Hermer said the "senseless and barbaric murder" of three young girls had shocked the nation.
"No words come anywhere close to expressing the brutality and horror in this case," he said.
The Attorney General explained he had carefully considered independent legal advice and consulted with leading criminal barristers and the Crown Prosecution Service.
"No-one would want the families to be put through an unnecessary further court process where there is no realistic legal basis for an increased sentence," Lord Hermer added.
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Attorney General Lord Hermer PA
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, were all killed in the attackFamily handouts
Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana (centre)PAThe attack took place at a Taylor Swift-themed class at The Hart Space in Southport, when Rudakubana was 17. Rudakubana killed Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
The teenager also attempted to murder eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons. Dance instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes were also among those Rudakubana tried to kill during the attack.
The 52-year sentence is believed to be the second longest imposed by courts in English history.
Southport MP Patrick Hurley had previously called for the Attorney General to review the sentence as "unduly lenient", saying it was "not severe enough".
Patrick Hurley MP speaks to the media near the scene in Hart Street, Southport
PA
A vigil for the victims of the attack coalesced in Southport on August 5PAA parent of one of the surviving children told The Sun that Rudakubana should "rot in jail" and the "law needs changing".
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, supported by shadow home secretary Chris Philp, said there was a "strong case" for allowing whole-life orders for under-18s in some cases. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated at the time that the "vile offender will likely never be released".
Rudakubana could not legally receive a whole-life order due to his age at the time of the attack, as these are reserved for offenders aged 21 and over, or in rare cases those aged 18 to 20. His 52-year minimum term is thought to be the longest sentence ever imposed on a killer of his age in the UK.
GB News understands the families of the murdered children have been informed of the Attorney General's decision.
