UK: Teen who stabbed 3 schoolgirls jailed for life

London: An 18-year-old knife attacker who had pleaded guilty to killing three schoolgirls at a Taylor Swift themed yoga and dance workshop in Southport, north-west England last July, was on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 52 years before being considered for parole.

Axel Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time of the fatal stabbings, also admitted attempting to murder eight other children, aged between seven and 13, along with yoga instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes at the Hart Space in Southport.

Justice Julian Goose, presiding over the sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, said if Rudakubana had been 18 at the time of the attack he would have received a whole-life term – which would have meant no possibility of release at all.

“He will serve almost the whole of his life in custody. I consider it likely he will never be released and he will be in custody for all of his life,” said Justice Goose. Agencies