A 17-year-old boy who is charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder after a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport can be named as Axel Rudakubana, the Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC has ruled.

The teenager could previously not be named because of his age.

However, he would have lost anonymity when he turns 18 next Wednesday.

Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed on Monday when a knifeman entered the dance class on Hart Street in Southport, Merseyside.

Eight other children suffered knife wounds – with five of them left in a critical condition – while two adults were also critically hurt.

Rudakubana was charged with the attempted murder of two adults, yoga class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes, as well as the attempted murder of the eight children who cannot be named for legal reasons.

He is also charged with possession of a bladed article, a curved kitchen knife, the court heard.

Earlier today, Rudakubana, from Banks in Lancashire, appeared in the dock at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court for a preliminary hearing.

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