A man who killed three people, Axel Rudakubana, did not want to leave his prison cell for his court hearing today. He was supposed to appear in court via video from his prison, HMP Belmarsh, but he refused to come out. His lawyer, Carmel Wilde, told the court that Rudakubana also refused to speak to his legal team.
Rudakubana was given a new sentence today to fix a small mistake in the judge’s earlier decision. Originally, he was sentenced to “custody for life,” but because he was under 18 when he committed the crimes, his sentence was changed to “detention at His Majesty’s pleasure.” This doesn’t change the fact that he will still spend his life in prison.
During his sentencing in January, Rudakubana caused disruptions in court. He claimed he felt sick and needed medical help, which led to him being removed from the courtroom. As he was taken out, someone in the public gallery called him a “coward.”
Today, Judge Goose explained that the hearing was only to correct a technical error in the sentence and that it wouldn’t change the overall punishment. The judge also noted that Rudakubana chose not to attend the hearing or give up his right to be present.
