A 17-year-old male has been charged with murder and attempted murder after an attack on a children’s party killed three and critically injured several others.
The suspect in a mass stabbing who was arrested shortly after the attack arrived at court on Thursday, unusually well protected in a convoy of police riot vans, having been charged by police overnight. A statement by Merseyside Police said the 17-year-old male was charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder, and with the possession of a bladed article.
Earlier, the suspect had appeared before a judge at Liverpool Magistrate’s Court. As is usual with British court hearings, the suspect was asked only to speak his name, address and date of birth in court before being remanded in detention until he could appear at the higher Crown Court later the same day. Court reporting by the Daily Telegraph states the court heard the suspect is accused of having a “kitchen knife with a curved blade”.
We can confirm that a 17-year-old boy from Banks has been charged with the murders of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguiar; 10 counts of attempted murder; and Possession of a bladed article, following the tragic incident in Southport on Monday, 29 July.
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— Merseyside Police (@MerseyPolice) August 1, 2024
The suspect has not been named because he is not a legal adult, and police have not made public any information about his identity or perceived motivations. It is known he lived with his parents in the village of Banks, to the north of Southport where the attack took place, and was born in Cardiff, Wales to Rwandan refugee parents.
The charges relate to a mass knife attack on Monday of this week, where it is understood a hooded man entered a family centre for pregnant women and young children in Southport, Merseyside which was hosting a summer holiday camp dance party for young children. Eleven children were stabbed, and three of those subsequently died of their wounds. Two adults, both of whom are reported to have tried to stop the attack or put themselves between the alleged knifeman and the victims, were seriously injured.
As stated, very little information about the attacker or motives has been released by the public and this has seen a great deal of speculation regarding the case circulate. The Criminal Prosecution Service went to the length of making a public reminder not to prejudice the case against the defendant this morning, with their regional representative, Chief Crown Prosecutor Sarah Hammond saying: “We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
