Southport: Two children injured in mass stabbing discharged from Alder Hey

  • ITV Granada Reports Correspondent Mel Barham reporting from Alder Hey Children's Hospital

Two children injured in a mass stabbing in Southport have been discharged from hospital as a teenager appears in court charged with murder and attempted murder.

The youngsters were attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class when a knifeman entered the Hart Centre, on Hart Street, and attacked those inside on Monday, 29 July.

Nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar, Bebe King, six, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe died of their injuries.

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

Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguiar all died following the knife attack in Southport on Monday. Credit: Merseyside Police

In a statement on Thursday, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are delighted that two of the children involved in Monday’s awful incident have now been discharged.

“We continue to treat five children involved in the devastating incident in Southport on Monday, including one recently transferred to us from Aintree University Hospital.

“All the children in our care are currently in a stable condition. Out heartfelt sympathies remain with all those affected by Monday’s incident."

A 17-year old-boy has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.

The teenager, who is from Banks, Lancashire, was remanded into youth detention accommodation and will appear at Liverpool Crown Court later on Thursday.

Merseyside Police announced it was charging the boy, who has now been named by police as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, at a midnight press conference on Thursday.

Chief Constable of Merseyside Police Serena Kennedy said: “Whilst these charges are a significant milestone within this investigation, this remains very much a live investigation and we continue to work with our partners from Lancashire Police and counter-terrorism police in the North West.”

Eight arrests were made after a police car was set alight and officers injured in Hartlepool disorder. Credit: PA Images

Thousands of people turned out to pay their respects to the victims at a vigil in Southport on Tuesday evening, but violence later erupted outside a mosque in the town with 53 police officers and three police dogs injured.

Police called in support from neighbouring forces in case of further disorder, but the seaside town appeared to remain quiet on Wednesday evening, however unrest developed in other areas of the country.

Disorder has broken out in Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot, with more than 100 people arrested at a protest on London on Wednesday night.

Protesters, chanting “you’re not English any more” and throwing bottles and cans at police in riot gear, were detained on Whitehall while in Hartlepool, County Durham, a police car was set alight and glass bottles and eggs were thrown at officers.

Members of the Southport community are continuing to show support, including leaving tributes close to where the tragic incident happened.

Jenny Athow previously went to the Hart Centre for baby classes with her daughter and said her best friend's daughter's knew two of the youngest victims. She had to to tell her children this morning that their friends have died.

She said: "My best friend was on a family holiday when this happened and tow of he daughter's friends had sadly passed away.

"They got back yesterday and they have had to tell them this morning. it's not a conversation we should be having with our kids and I can't even comprehend how to even have that conversation. Where do you even start?"

Jenny continued: "I used to take my daughter to baby classes there every week. It's a beautiful space, met lots of mum friends there and was planning to go back with the new arrival, but I just don't know what's going to happen to the space.

"I'd love it to remain open, but I don't know if it will just be too haunting for people to go back."

As a grandmother, Margaret Geoghan said the incident is "heartbreaking" has affected her very much: "Southport is a seaside resort. That wasn't Southport, that mob."

She added: I know nothing can solve it, but you've got to be there to show your support and let people know that you are thinking about them and that's all you can do."

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