![\"Axel](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1_Axel-Rudakubana-court-case.jpg\")
Axel Rudakubana was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years for the murders of three young girls in Southport last summer(Image: PA)<\/p>\nForce provides crucial update into probe which continued after conviction of Southport murdererAxel Rudakubana was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years for the murders of three young girls in Southport last summer(Image: PA)<\/p>\n
Merseyside Police have released a major update on the ongoing investigations into the murder of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party in Southport last year.<\/p>\n
Axel Rudakubana was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years<\/a> in prison for the murders of seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, six-year-old Bebe King and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, as well as the attempted murder of 10 others after his horrific rampage at the Hart Space on July 29 2024.<\/p>\n Following the sentencing of Rudakubana<\/a> in January of this year, Merseyside Police confirmed there remained a live investigation into others who may have assisted or failed to stop his hideous crimes. Today, the force has confirmed that any others who were being investigated will not face any charges at this time.<\/p>\n In a statement to the ECHO following our inquiries, A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: \u201cDuring the course of the criminal investigation into the Southport murders, a number of lines of enquiry were pursued. Some of the aspects of the investigation allowed for consideration of charges against those who may have assisted Axel Rudakubana or failed to prevent his crimes.<\/p>\n \u201cPost-trial, the force conducted a comprehensive review of all of the material available and considered it in the light of the case law and statutory offences that may have been applicable. As a result, it has been determined that no further charges will be brought at this stage.\u201d<\/p>\n In the years leading up to the horror attack last summer, Rudakubana was reported to Prevent, a task force spearheaded by Counter Terror Policing, three times.<\/p>\n The first referral to Prevent came in 2019 when he was enrolled at The Acorns School in Ormskirk<\/a> after his exclusion from Range High School in Formby<\/a>.<\/p>\n He was permanently removed from the school after he told Childline he was taking a knife into school for what he claimed was his own protection. He later admitted to taking a knife onto the school premises on 10 separate occasions.<\/p>\n During his time at the special educational needs (SEN) school in West Lancashire, he was found to have displayed violent behaviour and openly discussed guns.<\/p>\n \u200cIt was during these incidents the first referral was made. The second came when he was reported to have made posts on Instagram relating to Libya and Colonel Gaddafi. The third was a result of Rudakubana researching the 2017 London Bridge terror attack. In the 55-page report published at the beginning of last month, 14 recommendations were made to the service.<\/p>\n