Not guilty plea entered for Southport attack suspect

Not guilty pleas have been entered on behalf of Southport stabbing suspect Axel Rudakubana, 18, for the charges of murder of three young girls - Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King - in the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.

Mr Rudakubana appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via a video link but refused to speak when asked to confirm his name and enter his pleas, so the judge Mr Justice Goose entered them on his behalf.

In the same way, Mr Rudakubana also pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder 10 other people, including eight children, on 29 July.

Charges of producing the biological toxin ricin and possessing terrorist materials were also put to him but, again, he did not respond and not guilty pleas were entered.

The judge said a trial previously set for 20 January would go ahead and was expected to last up to four weeks.

Mr Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time of the attack, rocked from side to side during the hearing, and occasionally sat with his head bowed.

Mr Justice Goose said Mr Rudakubana was "mute of malice" - a legal term for a defendant who wilfully refuses to speak.

The attacks Mr Rudakubana is accused of carrying out took place in The Hart Space studio on a small business park in the seaside town shortly before midday.

In total he is charged with 16 offences.

The charges relating to the production of ricin and the alleged possession of an Al Qaeda training manual were added to the indictment in October.

Correction: This article has been amended to make it clear the pleas were entered on behalf of Axel Rudakubana.