A hearing at Liverpool Crown Court led to the identification of a 17-year-old boy named Axel Rudakubana, accused of a horrific mass stabbing incident at a holiday club themed around pop star Taylor Swift in Southport. During this hearing overseen by Recorder of Liverpool, Andrew Menary KC, it was determined that the teenager could be named despite his age, as he was approaching his 18th birthday.

The young suspect faces serious charges for the murder of three children, including six-year-old Bebe King and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, who died shortly after the event, as well as nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar, who succumbed to her injuries the following day in the hospital. Additionally, he is charged with ten counts of attempted murder and possessing a kitchen knife described as having a curved blade, with a total of eight children and two adults injured, some of whom are in critical condition.

Before the naming of the defendant, he had been protected by anonymity laws due to his age. However, the judge expressed that the need for full and accurate reporting outweighed this restriction, particularly in light of the disorder that erupted across the nation following the tragedy, including protests and violent incidents in Southport and elsewhere, leading to multiple arrests. The teenager did not verbally confirm his name during a brief court appearance, opting to keep his head down and cover his face, ultimately being remanded into custody for further proceedings.

With the pressure to manage the climate of misinformation around his identity, the court aimed to deter further public disorder by allowing the media to report the suspect's name. The defendant, who was born in Cardiff and later moved to Banks, Lancashire, is set to return to court for a plea and trial preparation hearing scheduled for October 25.