Boy, 17, charged with murders of Southport girls named in court as Axel Rudakubana

The teenager from Banks, Lancashire was named as Axel Rudakubana after a judge lifted reporting restrictions at Liverpool Crown Court this morning.

Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC made the ruling when the 17-year-old appeared before him in court.

The teenager, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, could previously not be named because of his age but would have lost anonymity when he turns 18 next Wednesday.

He moved to the Southport area in 2013 and has been living in Banks, a village in Lancashire, a few miles north of Southport.

Rudakubana spent the entire 55 minutes of the hearing covering his whole face, with his grey sweatshirt pulled up to his hairline, and at times rocking back and forth and side to side.

He was denied bail and has been remanded in youth accommodation detention. He will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on October 25.

The defendant left the court building in a police convoy to jeers from a crowd that had gathered in the street.

A number of people shouted “f****** scumbag” as the prison van pulled out of the complex, with a number of police vehicles escorting.

More than 30 police officers lined the edges of pavement as the convoy left and others stopped the traffic on the main road past Liverpool’s docks.

Judge explains 'exceptional' decision to reveal identity

Explaining his decision not to conceal the identity of Axel Rudakubana, Judge Andrew Menary KC told the court that not doing so would allow others to "spread misinformation".

"Whilst I accept it is exceptional given his age, principally because he is 18 in six days' time, I do not make an order under section 45," he said.

"Continuing to prevent the full reporting has the disadvantage of allowing others to spread misinformation, in a vacuum."

Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9 , Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, were fatally stabbed on Monday when a knifeman entered the dance class on Hart Street in Southport.

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

Rudakubana was also 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 further charged with possession of a bladed article, a curved kitchen knife, the court heard.

Earlier on Thursday the teenager, from Banks in Lancashire, appeared in the dock at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court for a preliminary hearing.

Rudakubana was brought into court at 10.21am, wearing a baggy grey tracksuit and black slippers.

He was reported to have stood and smiled at the row of reporters sat behind the glass dock before he was asked to sit down.

The teenager used his left hand to pull his sweatshirt over his face above his nose and kept his head low during the five-minute hearing, in which he did not speak.

None of the families of either the victims or defendant were in court for the brief hearing.

Rudakubana was remanded in youth detention accommodation.

Rudakubana's next court date scheduled

A plea and trail preparation hearing for Axel Rudakubana has been set for October 25 at Liverpool Crown Court.

He is charged with three counts of murder, ten charges of attempted murder and a charge of possession of a bladed article.

Rudakubana has been denied bail and is remanded in youth accommodation detention.