'I was angry Southport killer did not face me in court'

Teen Survivor of Southport Attack Speaks Out: “He Didn’t Even Have to Face Us”

A teenager who survived the horrifying Southport attack that claimed three young lives has spoken of her frustration and pain at not being able to confront the man who left her with life-threatening injuries.

The 14-year-old, referred to as Sarah to protect her identity, was one of several children and adults injured when Axel Rudakubana launched a brutal assault at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga workshop on 29 July 2024.

Now, as the first anniversary of the tragedy approaches, Sarah has opened up about the moment she realized she wouldn’t get to testify against the man responsible.

“I was really angered by the fact he just turned round and said ‘I plead guilty,’” she told BBC Radio Merseyside. “He didn’t have to face us. He’s just a coward—targeting kids in the first place.”

The attack left three girls—seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, nine-year-old Alice Aguiar, and six-year-old Bebe King—dead. Eight other children and two adults were also injured in the violence.

Sarah sustained serious injuries to her back and arm. Speaking about her time in hospital, she described a sense of solidarity that formed between the young survivors.

“I was in hospital for exactly a week. It was obviously tough, but I was moved onto a ward with a few of the other girls. We were all just encouraging each other—one of us would start walking, then another would say, ‘I’m going to get up and do that,’” she recalled.

Rudakubana was arrested at the scene and initially denied involvement. However, on the first day of his trial in January, he entered a guilty plea—robbing survivors and families of the opportunity to confront him directly. When sentencing came, he refused to leave his cell. He received life in prison, with a minimum term of 52 years.

Sarah had prepared a victim impact statement for the court and had hoped to read it in person.

“I wanted to get my story out there... I felt like it would bring me some closure,” she said. “The stress and anxiety of preparing for that moment—it just didn’t happen. It was tough.”

Now, Sarah is turning her focus to the future. Alongside her sister, who also survived the attack, she is working to launch a charitable clothing brand called GABA, short for “Go Anywhere Be Anything.”

Backed by their parents and family friends, the brand aims to support mental health services, provide emergency bleed kits, and fund anti-knife crime initiatives. A portion of all sales will go directly to relevant charities.

“I want every high school leaver to be trained in first aid,” Sarah said. “Too many people my age are getting involved in violence. Maybe if they learned these things, they’d stop and think.”

The young survivor hopes that by channelling her pain into something positive, she can honour the friends she lost—and help protect others from similar tragedies.