Downing Street has stated that Southport child killer Axel Rudakubana has received the second-longest life sentence in English history and the government has no intention of ever releasing him. Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman expressed that ministers share the public’s repulsion at Rudakubana’s heinous crimes, but explained that international law prohibits imposing a whole life order (WLO).
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Rudakubana, who is 18 years old, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 52 years for the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July last year. Calls for a change in the law on WLOs were prompted by this sentence, as WLOs ensure that the offender will remain in prison until their death, whereas a life sentence has a minimum term before they can be considered for parole.
Reforms passed by the Tories extended WLOs to young offenders aged 18 and above at the time of the offense. The government stated that due to UN laws, they are unable to make further changes regarding this matter. This is in line with Article 37 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits life imprisonment without the possibility of release for individuals under 18.
Despite calls for changes in the law, the government remains firm in their stance that Rudakubana will likely never be released from prison. Currently, there are 70 people serving WLOs, including baby serial killer Lucy Letby and Sarah Everad’s killer Wayne Couzens.
Following an inquiry into the stabbings, the prime minister has indicated a willingness to consider changing the law in response to new threats posed by lone attackers. Rudakubana had been referred to the Prevent anti-extremism scheme multiple times before the murders, indicating a history of fixation with violence and interaction with various government agencies.
The judge noted that while Rudakubana’s actions did not meet the legal definition of terrorism, the extreme level of violence displayed was equivalent to terrorist murders in severity.