Southport Triple killer Axel Rudakubana has refused to leave his cell for a court hearing that made a correction of his lifetime.

The 18-year-old was imprisoned for at least 52 years Last month after he admitted he stacked three girls, between seven and nine, to death at a Taylor Swift-theme dance class in July 2024.

Rudakubana would show up at Liverpool Crown Court via Videolink from Belmarsh prison on Tuesday morning for a brief hearing to correct a technical error about how his prison time was described.

But his defense lawyer Carmel Wilde told the court: “We understand from Staff at Belmarsh that he has refused to leave his cell to participate in the court or talk to his legal team.”

Deanna Heer KC, charged, asked the judge to change Rudakubana’s punishment from “Custody for Life” to “detention at His Majesty’s pleasure” because he was under 18 at the murder.

Mr Justice Goose said: “The case of the crown against Axel Rudakubana was noted to mention the application of the prosecution.

“The purpose of this hearing is to correct a technical error but which will have no effect on the total judgment imposed on the defendant on January 23 this year.”

He said the sentence is “still a life sentence”, but of a different kind.

The judge added: “The defendant has refused to abstain from his right to participate or be here.”

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The judge told the court that Rudakubana, due to the circumstances of the application, which would not lead to Rudakubana not being obliged to participate.

The teenager murdered Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, Six and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at the dance class in Southport, Merseyside.

He also admitted that he tried to murder eight other children and two adults, possession of a knife, production of a biological toxin – ricin – and holds information that is likely to be useful for a person who commits or prepares to commit a terrorist act.