'Sombre' inquest opens for girls killed in Southport attack

Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King were killed in the Southport attack

An inquest into the death of three girls stabbed in the Southport knife attack has been opened and adjourned.

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were killed when a knifeman entered a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club on Hart Street on 29 July, and ten others were seriously injured.

Senior coroner Julie Goulding said the hearing was a “short, sombre and formal process” to allow criminal proceedings to continue "unfettered".

It was "impossible to adequately articulate the devastating lifelong effects of the truly tragic events", she added.

Full inquests are expected to be held next year.

Families of the victims and members of the public did not attend the short hearing at Bootle Town Hall earlier, with only journalists present.

Ms Goulding said opening the inquests would allow death certificates to be issued to the girls’ families and their funerals to take place.

Mourners gathered at St Patrick's Church, in Southport on Tuesday to pay their respects to Alice da Silva Aguiar, singing hymns and reading tributes.

'Deepest condolences'

Elsie, Bebe and Alice had "cruelly lost their young lives in such horrific circumstances", Ms Goulding said.

She told the court: “The three young children were full of life and energy and will be missed beyond any description my woefully inadequate words may attempt to describe.

“I therefore offer my deepest condolences to Elsie’s, Bebe’s and Alice’s parents, families and friends and those heartfelt condolences of all of my staff here at the coroner’s court.”

Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool confirmed on Tuesday that all the children who were admitted to its site with injuries linked to the attack had now been safely discharged.

Axel Rudakubana, from Bank in Lancashire, has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.

The defendant, who has just turned 18, is also charged with possession of a bladed article in a public place.

He was remanded into youth custody ahead of a pre-trial hearing on 25 October and a provisional six-week trial date has been set for January.