The UK Attorney General, Lord Hermer KC, has ruled out referring Axel Rudakubana’s life sentence to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, despite public calls for a harsher punishment.
In a statement released on the UK Government’s website on Friday, Lord Hermer acknowledged the “senseless and barbaric” nature of the attack, which sent shockwaves across the country last summer.
However, after consulting independent legal experts and senior criminal barristers, he determined that there was no “realistic legal basis” to challenge the sentence.
“It was understandable that we received multiple requests to review the sentence under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme – which is designed to identify and remedy gross errors made by judges,” Lord Hermer said.
“No words come anywhere close to expressing the brutality and horror in this case.”
A Sentence Reflecting the Heinous Crime
Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time of the rampage, was convicted on January 23 and sentenced to 13 life terms for the murders of three young girls and the attempted murders of 10 others.
Presiding Judge Julian Goose imposed a minimum term of 52 years, making it one of the longest prison sentences in English history. He declared that it was “highly likely that he will never be released.”
A Nation in Shock
The horrifying attack unfolded in July when Rudakubana stormed into a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, northwest England, unleashing a 15-minute stabbing spree.
The court heard chilling details of how young girls were making bracelets and listening to Swift’s music when the assailant burst into the studio. The victims, Bebe, Elsie, and Alice, lost their lives in what the judge described as an “objective of mass murder.”
Ten more individuals sustained serious injuries before Rudakubana was subdued. Upon his arrest, he reportedly stated, “I’m glad they’re dead,” as relayed by the prosecution.
During sentencing, Judge Goose emphasized that had the attacker not been stopped, “he would have killed each and every child—all 26 of them—as well as any adult who got in his way.”
Legal Justification and Public Response
The severity of the crime led to public outcry, with many urging a more stringent punishment.
However, Lord Hermer explained that the threshold for revising the sentence had not been met.
“No one would want the families to be put through an unnecessary further court process where there is no realistic legal basis for an increased sentence,” he said.
“The 52-year sentence imposed by the judge was the second longest sentence imposed by the courts in English history. Rudakubana will likely never be released and will spend the rest of his life in jail.”
Lord Hermer also assured the public that the government would take “the next steps” to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
“My thoughts today are with the friends and families of Bebe, Elsie, and Alice, as well as the other victims – your memories will not be forgotten,” he concluded.
While the Attorney General’s ruling ends the possibility of an appeal, the case remains a stark reminder of the devastating toll of violent crime.
