Stand Up For Southport Blog by Andrew Brown
Guilty pleas were entered on all charges related to the Southport tragedy today.
We were all bracing ourselves for up to six weeks of evidence at Liverpool Crown Court that would have been incredibly traumatic for all the families involved; and everyone in Southport.
It would have been utterly devastating. I am not sure how anyone would have coped with one day of hearing minute by minute evidence from a series of witnesses about what happened, let alone such a prolonged torture.
Instead, Axel Rudakubana, 18, has today changed his pleas on the first day of his trial into last summer’s tragedy, pleading guilty to all charges.
In the dock at Liverpool Crown Court today he finally admitted murdering three young girls.
He also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of eight other children and to the attempted murder of Leanne Lucas and Jonathan Hayes.
Sentencing will take place on Thursday. I hope that will be a time when the families of those killed and injured will be able to get some answers as to how and why this nightmare happened.
What happened at The Hart Space on 29th July last year was horrific beyond words.
All our thoughts; all our love; all our compassion in Southport is with those who lost those three young girls at such a tragically young age; to those who are still recovering from their terrible injuries; and to those who are recovering from the huge mental trauma of being at the scene.
They all need and deserve our love and support going forwards.
They will also need time, space, kindness and empathy.
The Southport community has been through so much.
So many local people have been incredible. All those working at the local schools where children were killed or injured.
The emergency services heroes who were at the scene so quickly and saved lives, with so many of them subsequently hospitalised in the public disorder soon afterwards.
All the local people who rushed to the Sussex Road area and rebuilt walls, businesses and homes after the damage caused by the riot.
All those who have led and supported fundraising appeals to support the families.
All the thousands of people who came and laid flowers, bracelets, windmills, teddy bears, cards and hand-written notes.
The volunteers who tended the flowers and the tributes at Hart Street and in the Town Hall Gardens.
We are all proud of how Southport came together after all that has happened.
We’re proud of the kindness shown. Southport Together.
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com
