Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly beaten up by inmates

He has allegedly been attacked by other prisoners after being sentenced earlier this week he was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years for the "sadistic" murders of three young girls in an attack described as "shocking" and "pure evil".

Rudakubana - who was 17-years-old at the time - carried out a frenzied knife attack during a Taylor Swift-themed children's holiday club class at the Hart Space on July 29, killing Alice Da Silva Aguiar, 9, Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7.

Speaking at his sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday (January 23), Ms Heer KC, prosecuting, said the “horrific injuries” to two of the children were “difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature”. She said that whilst under arrest at the police station he was heard to say, “It’s a good thing those children are dead… I’m so glad… so happy”.

Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died while eight other children and two adults – dance class leader Leanne Lucas and businessman Jonathan Hayes – were seriously wounded.

The 18-year-old refused to come into the courtroom as he was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court, having been removed from the dock earlier due to disruptive behaviour – which included demands to see a paramedic and shouts of "I feel ill".