Lock him up forever: Axel Rudakubana’s 52-year prison sentence has been branded ‘not severe enough’ as ​​politicians call for law changes to ensure Southport monster is never released

Axel Rudakbana’s 52-year prison sentence has been branded “not severe enough” as furious politicians demand changes to the law to keep him in prison until he dies.

The 18-year-old teenager will spend more than 50 years in prison for brutally and sadistically murdering three girls and attempting to murder eight more in Southport last summer.

He was handed a huge sentence, one of the longest in modern British law history.

But he was 17 years old (nine days short of his 18th birthday) when he carried out his campaign of genocide, and despite the court hearing the gory details of the terror he unleashed. He was sentenced as a minor.

This meant he avoided a “life” sentence where he would be kept in prison until he dies, but Judge Goose said it was unlikely he would be released.

After the verdict at Liverpool Crown Court, Labor MP for Southport Patrick Hurley said he had already asked the Attorney General to review the “unduly lenient” terms.

“The sentence handed down today is not severe enough and is not long enough for the crime that was committed. We need a sentence that reflects the seriousness of this crime, which has terrorized the victims and their families.” .

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch also backed a change to the law that would allow murderers of under-18s to receive life sentences.

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Rudakbana’s minimum sentence is one of the longest in history and is believed to be the longest sentence ever imposed on a murderer of his age.

Judge Goose jailed the 18-year-old for life with a minimum of 52 years.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the 175 days he had already served on remand meant he would need to serve 51 years and 190 days before being considered for release by the parole board.

And even then, he will have to convince them that he is not a danger to the public.

Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi, 23, was sentenced to a record 55 years in prison in 2020 for 22 counts of murder and attempted murder. The terrorist orchestrated the 2017 atrocity when he was 20 years old.

Prior to that, it is believed that the longest prison sentence given to a terrorist in the UK was 50 years in the case of David Copeland.

The 22-year-old was sentenced to six life sentences for a 13-day nail bomb attack targeting Brick Lane, Soho and Brixton in 1999 that killed three people and injured 139 others.

The Attorney General’s Office said the case was referred under an unduly lenient sentencing scheme. Only one application is required for consideration.

Attorney General Harmer and Solicitor General Lucy Rigby have 28 days to decide whether to refer the judgment to the Court of Appeal.

Under this system, there is a high threshold for a successful reference. For example, if a judge makes a mistake or imposes a sentence that is beyond the normal range related to the circumstances of the case, the sentence must be considered not only lenient but also unjust. . crime.

Even then, the Court of Appeals may refuse to reconsider the case or decide to uphold the existing judgment.

Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, called for a “national debate” on reinstating the death penalty in light of the Southport case.

“I don’t think we should be afraid to have a national debate about these important big issues,” he told LBC radio.

“I think a lot of people in this country would like to at least have a discussion. People obviously come down to very personal questions of conscience about which path they take.

“Obviously, this is the most exceptional thing that I can think of, probably anyone can remember, and let’s hope it doesn’t get any more exceptional.

“And let’s hope we never experience something this horrible again.”

Reformist MP Rupert Lowe He said now was the time for a “national debate about the use of the death penalty in exceptional circumstances.”

“This is an exceptional situation,” he added.

Former Conservative home secretary Suella Braverman wrote on X that “any judgment passed today will never be enough.”

“Axel Rudakbana is an evil and violent person. I don’t support the death penalty, but this case makes me think seriously. It would be too much of a waste for him to rot in prison.”

prime minister Keir Starmer said: “The thoughts of the whole country are with the families and everyone affected by the unimaginable horror that occurred in Southport. No words can express the depth of their suffering.

“I want to say directly to the survivors, families and community of Southport: You are not alone and our thoughts are with you in your grief.

“What happened in Southport was an atrocity and, as the judge said, this despicable criminal will likely never be released.

“After one of the most tragic moments in our nation’s history, we owe it to these innocent girls and all those affected to make the change they deserve.”

Children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Sousa said there was “no question that there was a state failure” in protecting Ms Rudakubana’s victims.

“The minimum sentence of 52 years in prison handed down to Mr. Axel Rudakbana means he is unlikely to be free, but it will not fully compensate his victims and their families for the pain and loss they have experienced. “You can never do that,” she said.

“His violent behavior was well known to the police, anti-extremism authorities and many other public authorities. The concerns of his parents were also ignored and ignored.

“The alarm bells have been ringing for years. There is no question that there was a failure of the state to protect these innocent children from Axel Rudakbana.

“Tragically, for these victims, these families and survivors, it is too late and action is needed now to prevent further attacks by a dangerous individual already known to multiple agencies.

“We must intervene as soon as possible to stop preventable crimes that destroy lives and communities.”