Calls for Justice: Teenage Murderer's Sentence Sparks National Debate

The British government won't alter a law preventing life imprisonment for minors, facing demands to imprison an 18-year-old who killed three girls. Sentenced to at least 52 years, Axel Rudakubana, deemed unlikely to ever be released, sparked national outcry and debates over juvenile sentencing.

The British government has firmly stated that it does not intend to change existing laws that prevent life imprisonment for minors, despite widespread calls for harsher penalties following a tragic case that has gripped the nation.

Axel Rudakubana, an 18-year-old, has been sentenced to serve at least 52 years for a horrific stabbing spree at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class that left three young girls dead and others injured. The presiding judge, Julian Goose, noted that due to Rudakubana's age at the time of the attack, he legally could not impose a life sentence without parole.

The case has ignited intense debate across the country, with some lawmakers urging a review of the lenient sentencing and others, such as Reform UK, calling for the return of the death penalty. The government, however, stands by international conventions that safeguard the rights of minors, maintaining that the death penalty and life without parole are not options for those under 18.

(With inputs from agencies.)