The Attorney General has announced that the sentence of Southport child killer Axel Rudakubana will not be referred to the Court of Appeal.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in January for the murder of three young girls during a dance class. The sentence has faced criticism from affected families and MPs, leading to calls for changes in the law.

Rudakubana received one of the highest minimum custody terms on record after murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, during a Taylor Swift-themed class at The Hart Space in Merseyside in July last year, when he was just 17. He also attempted to murder eight other children, the class instructor Leanne Lucas, and businessman John Hayes.

On Friday, Attorney General Lord Hermer KC confirmed he would not refer the case under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. He stated, “The senseless and barbaric murder of three young girls in Southport last summer shocked our nation.”

Lord Hermer expressed the horrific nature of the case, noting, “No words come anywhere close to expressing the brutality and horror in this case.” He acknowledged the multiple requests for a review of the sentence, designed to address significant judicial errors, but concluded, “This case cannot properly be referred to the Court of Appeal.” He emphasized that the families should not face an unnecessary court process without a realistic chance for a longer sentence.

He remarked that the 52-year sentence was the second longest in English history, stating that Rudakubana is likely to spend the rest of his life in prison.

Southport MP Patrick Hurley had previously described the sentence as “unduly lenient” and not severe enough. A parent of a child survivor, who remains anonymous due to court protections, stated that Rudakubana’s crimes were so horrific he should “rot in jail” and insisted on the need for legal reform.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and shadow home secretary Chris Philp have suggested that there is a “strong case” for laws to be amended to allow whole-life sentences for offenders under 18 in certain cases.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer remarked that this “vile offender will likely never be released.” Rudakubana’s sentence marks the longest ever given to a killer of his age. Due to his age at the time of the attack, he cannot receive a whole-life order, which is typically reserved for offenders aged 21 and over.

The families of Rudakubana's victims have reportedly been informed of the Attorney General's decision regarding the sentence.