Axel Rudakubana has refused to speak via video link to Liverpool Crown Court

ON 18 December 2024, the suspect in the Southport stabbing refused to speak via video-link to Liverpool Crown Court and not guilty pleas have been entered on his behalf.

Axel Rudakubana, now 18, refused to speak when asked to confirm his name and enter his pleas, so not guilty pleas have been entered by the Judge, Mr Justice Goose on his behalf to all the charges he is currently facing trial for murder, attempted murder, and other charges.

Axel Rudakubana is accused of killing 3 children:- Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King, on:- 29 July 2024, in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift themed dance class. He also faces charges of attempted murders of 10 other people, including:- 8 children, at the same event. As well as charges of producing the biological toxin, ricin, and possessing terrorist materials.

Also, not guilty pleas were entered by the Judge to the charges relating to the production of ricin and the alleged possession of an Al Qaeda training manual that had been added to the indictment in October.

We are told that Mr Justice Goose had confirmed that the audio feed could be heard within the room where the defendant was seated in, by a Prison Officer, after asking Rudakubana if Axel Rudakubana could hear proceedings. Axel Rudakubana did not respond. It is also reported that Axel Rudakubana rocked from side to side during the hearing, and occasionally sat with his head bowed thoughout the 25 minute hearing.

Mr Justice Goose said Mr Rudakubana was:- "mute of malice" which is a legal term for a defendant who wilfully refuses to speak when entering his guilty pleas on his behalf.

In total Axel Rudakubana is charged with 16 offences and a trial date that has been previously set for 20 January 2025, will still go ahead. The trial is expected to last up to 4 weeks.

For legal reasions we want to make it clear that the pleas were entered on behalf of Axel Rudakubana.

We would like to warn against speculating about the case. Please remember that disinformation (false information) designed to mislead others in connection to the case is still circulating online and can lead to contempt charges being taken against the desseminators, as the promotion of these claims and theories can be a substantial risk of seriously prejudicing or impeding proceedings.

Next of Kin Appeal for Ian Christopher Broadley 

THE Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens Coroner's Office is asking for help to find the next of kin for a Prescot man who has passed away. Mr Ian Christopher Broadley, sadly died on:- Saturday, 7 December 2024, at his home address, at:- Portico Court, Prescot, Merseyside. He was 83 and there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. Please contact:- Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens Coroner's Office on:- 01519342399, or email:- CoronerReferrals@Sefton.Gov.UK.

LGA response to Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill 

RESPONDING to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill that is being introduced to Parliament, Cllr Arooj Shah, Chair of the Local Government Association's Children and Young People Board, said:- "We are pleased Government is acting on a long-standing call by the LGA for Councils to have and maintain Children Not in School registers. However this must be combined with powers for Councils to meet face-to-face with children, which is vital to allow Councils to ensure children are receiving a suitable education in a safe environment. Unique identifiers for children is a positive step, and should be accompanied by wider reform to facilitate better information sharing including investment in systems and administrative support. It is also good Councils will have greater powers to direct school admissions, and failing Council-maintained schools will not automatically become academies, which we have long-called for. We would also like to see proposals around schools and safeguarding go further, with education providers named as a statutory safeguarding partner."

North West Ambulance Service launches campaign to combat abuse against emergency workers

ASSAULTS on emergency workers are an unfortunate reality, but they should never be considered:- "part of the job." This winter, North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) is shedding light on the abuse faced by emergency workers every day, launching a campaign to highlight the severity of the issue and influence change.

In just 6 months, NWAS recorded more than 1,000 incidents of violence and aggression against its staff, which averages 165 incidents per month or five assaults every day. These include both verbal and physical abuse targeting ambulance crews and call handler staff. They do not include the incidents that go unreported.

To expose the reality of this abuse, NWAS is using anonymised audio recordings from its 111 and 999 calls. These clips reveal the vile verbal assaults that call handlers endure while working to save lives.

Former detective Natalie Samuels joined the service in July as head of violence prevention reduction and security. With 15 years of policing experience, Natalie is leading efforts to ensure no abuse goes unchecked:- "Our service users need to be aware that they can't hide behind the phone, verbal abuse is not okay and you can be prosecuted. We also want to raise awareness and educate staff that any form of abuse should not be accepted and only by reporting these incidents can these offenders be punished for their abuse."

Natalie has already made a significant impact. After working with NHS 111 colleagues in the summer to encourage reporting of verbal abuse, violence and aggression incident reports increased by 500%. The service now records at least one verbal abuse incident per day. Natalie said:- "This highlights how vital it is for staff to feel supported in reporting abuse..."

Natalie is now expanding these initiatives to 999 Call Centres, with a focus on improving the reporting culture and highlighting the serious repercussions for those who verbally abuse staff. One notable case resulted in a successful prosecution: In July Mahinder Singh, 36, from Trafford, was handed a £500 fine, 100 hours of unpaid work and a 16-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months after a homophobic verbal attack on a call handler after he called for help for his mother. The homophobic clip was featured on BBC North West Tonight on Thursday 5 December 2024.

To strengthen support for staff, Natalie has expanded her team, appointing violence prevention and reduction specialist practitioners across the NWAS footprint: Greater Manchester, Cumbria and Lancashire, and Cheshire and Merseyside. These specialists provide advice and direct support to staff through the prosecution process, promote the use of body-worn cameras, risk map repeat offenders to proactively address potential threats, and implement support strategies aimed at preventing future offences.

Beyond internal efforts, Natalie is working closely with external partners, including:- Police, Hospitals, local Councils and violence prevention networks to address this issue collaboratively. She added:- "Tackling violence requires a community approach. Together, we can implement prevention strategies that protect emergency workers and foster safer environments."

This campaign serves as a reminder that emergency workers should be able to come to work without the fear of abuse. NWAS is calling on the public to play their part in creating a culture where violence and aggression have no place.