A 17-year-old boy accused of murdering three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport can be named as Axel Rudakubana.

Rudakubana is accused of murdering Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, with a kitchen knife on Monday after entering the class on Hart Street in Southport, Merseyside.

Lifting the anonymity order at Liverpool crown court, Judge Andrew Menary KC said the unrest in parts of the country after the attack was one reason why it was in the public interest for his name to be released.

Remanding Axel in youth detention, the judge said keeping the defendant’s anonymity in place ran the risk of “allowing others who are up to mischief to continue to spread disinformation in a vacuum”.

The defendant is due to turn 18 on Wednesday, which could provide an “additional excuse for a fresh round of public disorder”, the judge said.

During the hearing, Axel covered his face with his sweatshirt and refused to speak, including to confirm his name.

More details soon …