Not guilty pleas have been entered on behalf of Southport stabbing suspect Axel Rudakubana, 18, for the charges of murder of three young girls – Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King – in the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.

Mr Rudakubana appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via a video link but refused to speak when asked to confirm his name and enter his pleas, so the judge Mr Justice Goose entered them on his behalf.

In the same way, Mr Rudakubana also pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder 10 other people, including eight children, on 29 July.

Charges of producing the biological toxin ricin and possessing terrorist materials were also put to him but, again, he did not respond and not guilty pleas were entered.