A 17-year-old has been charged with the murder of three girls at a dance class in Southport. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar died after a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed event in the Merseyside town on Monday.
The teenager, who is due to appear at Liverpool City Magistrates’ Court later on Thursday, has also been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder. Eight other children and two adults who were at the event in the Hart Space centre were injured, with some still believed to be in a critical condition. The defendant, who cannot be named because of his age, has also been charged with the possession of a bladed article.
Merseyside Police announced the charges during a press conference just after midnight. Ursula Doyle, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service Mersey-Cheshire, said: “We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.
“Our thoughts remain with the families of all of those affected by these harrowing events. Chief Constable of Merseyside Police 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 police in the North West.
Source: BBC
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