Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been taken out of court after shouting about ‘chest pains’ from the dock during his sentence hearing today.
The 18-year-old admitted to stabbing to death Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, in a guilty plea in court on Monday. In total he pleaded guilty to 16 charges, including 10 counts of attempted murder.
The hearing at Liverpool Crown Court today was already delayed by an hour before Rudakubana began freaking out from the dock.
The child killer began complaining about chest pains, with defence lawyer Stanley Reiz KC telling the court: “The defendant says he’s experiencing chest pains.”
“He says he feels too ill to continue and would like to see a paramedic. It’s important that this case continues, but those are my instructions.”
Justice Goose said: “I’m going to continue with these proceedings for the time being.” But the defendant said: “I feel ill judge. I feel ill. I’m going to pass out. No. I can’t continue with this.”
Judge: “I’ve asked you to be quiet.”
The judge asked Ms Heer to continue and she attempted to but Rudakubna yelled: “I can’t continue with this judge. No, no it can’t continue judge.
“I need to speak to a paramedic. I need to speak to a paramedic. My chest is hurting.”
Justice Goose replied: “Shouting from the dock is not going to make this happen any quicker. You’ve chosen that moment to say that as these proceedings start. You will see someone.”
Rudakubana continued: “I didn’t choose a moment to feel pain. It’s not my fault. I need to speak to a paramedic judge. Stop ignoring me.”
The judge again told Ms Heer to continue, but Rudakubana shouted: “Don’t continue, don’t continue, don’t continue.”
Justice Goose said: “Take him out.” He indicated that Rudakubana could be kept in a room at the back of the dock.
A man in the public gallery yelled “coward” as Rudakubana left, which sounds about right. The judge said: “I think he has voluntarily absented himself.”
Good on the judge for keeping things rolling rather than delay the inevitable, which is surely a life sentence (unfortunately he can’t be given a whole-life term because he was 17 when he carried out the murders).
If Rudakubana is experiencing chest pains, we can only guess it’s a panic attack at the realisation that today is the day he is officially banished from society for what will essentially be the rest of his life. Pity he didn’t think about that when he carried out those awful attacks in the summer, destroying dozens of lives in the process and showing no remorse for it whatsoever. I’m sure there’ll be no shortage of prisoners waiting to meet him on the inside.
For the woman who was arrested for being the first to share the Southport suspect rumour that sparked all those riots in the summer, click HERE.
