'Cowardly murderer 'specifically targeted women and girls'

INQUIRY TOLD KILLER WOULD HAVE KNOWN WHO THE EVENT HE ATTACKED WAS AIMED AT AND ORGANISED BY

- By PATRICK EDRICH

THE "cowardly" Southport knifeman "specifically targeted women and girls" when he launched an attack at the dance party, the inquiry has heard. Axel Rudakubana was just 17 when he carried out the mass stabbing attack at the Taylor Swift-themed class at the Hart Space, in Southport, on July 29 last year.

Nicholas Moss KC, counsel for the inquiry, showed Liverpool Town Hall the pink flyer which advertised the themed yoga and dance class. Mr Moss said Rudakubana, who he referred to just as "AR" during the proceedings, would have known from the advert the event was for young girls and the organisers were two women.

He told the Southport Inquiry on Tuesday: "It was an event, it might be thought, that was bound to appeal more to girls than boys within that age bracket. The advert stated 'with Leanne and Heidi' so AR would have known that the adult organisers were women...the targeting of women and girls in AR's attack is, we suggest, particularly noteworthy.

"This brings into play the fact AR was, it appears, specifically targeting women and girls. Of course, when you then add in their ages and the targeting of an event where AR may have thought the girls' parents would not be present, it all means in combination the attack was so manifestly and extremely cowardly."

Rudakubana, armed with a kitchen knife bought on Amazon, entered the class as girls made friendship bracelets and danced. He began attacking the children shortly before midday. He murdered Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, in the attack.