The five words Axel Rudakubana spoke when he arrived at court to face justice

Three days after Axel Rudabukana had committed an unspeakable crime, he was sat in the back of a police van, heading to court.

He was travelling to the Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts in a vehicle under an escort of armed police officers. His actions at the Hart Centre in Southport on July 29 2024 had sparked ugly scenes in the seaside town, where a community in mourning was forced to pick up the pieces of widespread rioting in the aftermath of the murders of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, Alice da Silva Aguiar 9.

Further violence would follow in Liverpool city centre, on County Road and across the country over the coming days.

As the convoy turned off the Strand into the tunnel underneath Derby Square which greets all prisoners appearing at Liverpool Magistrates' Court and Liverpool Crown Court, a scrum of cameras awaited his arrival amongst a smattering of angry and otherwise curious members of the public. It was at this moment that, the ECHO reports, Rudakubana simply remarked: "Is this all for me?"

Once in court, the then 17-year-old said far less. Indeed, he did not utter a single word in any courtroom until today.

During this first appearance in the magistrates court, Rudakubana covered his face with the jumper of his grey prison issue tracksuit. Only his unkempt dark hair was visible as he sat bent double in the dock in silence.

At this stage, the reason lying behind his refusal to speak remained open for speculation. Was this a deeply troubled teenager who had not realised the enormity of his heinous crimes until thrust into the glare of the nation's media? Had he frozen in the spotlight of a small courtroom with not a single seat to spare?

Rudakubana would keep up this stance of silence during subsequent