Two children injured in the Southport stabbing have been discharged from hospital, with five others now ‘in a stable condition’.
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital said it was ‘delighted’ that two youngsters had been released following the stabbing rampage on Monday that left three girls dead.
The tragedy saw Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, killed as they attended a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Eight other children also suffered knife wounds, with two adults, dance teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, and businessman John Hayes, injured as they tried to help.
In a statement, the Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are delighted that two of the children involved in Monday’s awful incident have now been discharged. We continue to treat five children involved in the devastating incident in Southport on Monday, including one recently transferred to us from Aintree University Hospital. All the children in our care are currently in stable condition. Our heartfelt sympathies remain with all those affected by Monday’s incident. We will not be providing any further information.”
The teenage suspect, 17, appeared at Liverpool City Magistrates’ Court charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. He was remanded to a youth detention centre.
The hearing lasted just five minutes. During that time, the defendant, wearing a baggy grey tracksuit and black slippers, pulled his sweatshirt over his face above his nose and kept his head low. At one point in the hearing, the teenager, who did not speak once, looked back at the group of around 20 reporters that were sat behind the dock.
The boy, from the village of Banks, just outside of Southport, is due to appear in Liverpool Crown Court later today. He was taken to the magistrates’ court in a white van, flanked by a convoy of police cars. There was a large police presence outside the court amid fears that angry protesters would turn up after a series of riots swept across the country in recent days.
More than 100 people were arrested in London last night following a far-right protest in Whitehall, with further unrest in Hartlepool, Manchester, and Aldershot. On Tuesday night, an angry mob took to the streets of Southport after a vigil to remember victims of the mass stabbing at the workshop attended by 25 children.
The defendant, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, is accused of entering a dance studio in Hart Street and attacking children and adults who were inside on Monday afternoon. The youth’s identity has not been revealed because suspects under the age of 18 receive automatic anonymity in all UK court cases.
In a statement, Merseyside Police said: “We can confirm that a 17-year-old boy from Banks has been charged with the murders of Bebe, Elsie Dot, and Alice; 10 counts of attempted murder; and possession of a bladed article, following the tragic incident in Southport on Monday, 29 July. The 17-year-old cannot be named for legal reasons, as he is under 18. He has been remanded in custody to appear tomorrow, Thursday 1 August, at Liverpool Magistrates Court, Derby Square.
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said: “Whilst these charges are a significant milestone within this investigation, this remains very much a live investigation, and we continue to work with our partners from Lancashire Police and Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW). I would like to thank all of the forces who have offered and supplied support to Merseyside Police during the last three days, and I can confirm that we are being supported with investigative resources from across the North West.
