A judge has ruled that the identity of the suspect in the Southport knife attack can be revealed. The suspect, who is 17 years old, was living in the Lancashire village of Banks and had been born in Cardiff. He has been charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder, and possession of a bladed article.

The suspect's identity was initially withheld due to his age, but the judge ruled that it could be revealed because he is due to turn 18 next week. The judge said that continuing to prevent the full reporting would allow others to spread misinformation.

The suspect's family is reportedly heavily involved with the local church. They moved to the Southport area around 2013 and lived in a semi-detached property in a quiet cul-de-sac. Neighbors described the family as friendly and said there were no problems while they were living there.

The suspect has a background in musical theatre. A friend from his musical theatre group said he was very quiet and didn't talk about himself much.

The suspect was further remanded in youth detention accommodation after appearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday. A provisional trial date, lasting six weeks, was scheduled for January 20, next year.