Labour MP backs national review into terrorism legal framework after Rudakubana sentencing: 'We have to get on top of this!'

Rudakubana 18, was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in prison for the murders of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed class in Southport in July 2024.

However, Mr Justice Goose confirmed the offences he had committed "did not reach the legal definition of terrorism", because he did not kill to further a political, religious or ideological cause.

Speaking to the People's Channel, Tapp stressed that the review would examine everything "from the first referral to the last" to understand how Rudakubana "slipped through the net".

"I think this started happening when he was a very young age. So possession of knives, obsession with murder, the vile things he's been viewing online," he said.

Defending the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service's to pursue murder charges rather than terrorism offences in the case, Tapp noted that the CPS "have to charge with the offence they're most likely to convict on".

He explained: "If there isn't that clear evidence of that motivation and ideology leading to those viral murders, they've got to go with the one that's most likely to succeed.

"So that was most likely the right choice here, and that's why we've seen him convicted."

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He explained that while Rudakubana "is clearly a terrorist," prosecutors faced challenges with proving ideological motivation.

"The complex part here is, yes, he killed people, and that was vile. He terrorised, he had an al Qaeda manual, he produced ricin," Tapp said.

"But the CPS made a decision to charge on murder because there wasn't that clear ideological motivation for carrying out the murders."

The Labour MP emphasised that careful consideration of charges was essential to secure a conviction.

Tapp emphasised the importance of careful language during legal proceedings to ensure successful prosecutions. "If we say the wrong things for political reasons that jeopardise a case like that, that would be disgraceful," he said.

The Dover MP acknowledged the dedication of counter-terrorism officers, noting that many attacks have been prevented.

"Having worked in counter terrorism, we've really committed counter officers, people are working tirelessly to stop attacks from happening," he told GB News.

Tapp also stressed that while many attacks were prevented, this case represented one that "slipped through the net, which is an absolute tragedy".