Sister of Southport attack victim turns off Taylor Swift songs 'whenever she comes on'
- Last updated: July 29, 2026 | 22:27
The sister of one of the girls murdered in the Southport knife attack turns off Taylor Swift songs two years later, her mum has said in a heartbreaking interview.
Elsie Dot Stancombe was just seven years old when Axel Rudakubana killed her, along with nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar and six-year-old Bebe King, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29, 2024.
Her mother Jenni Stancombe has shared that her youngest daughter, now five, turns off Taylor Swift’s music two years on and no longer makes bracelets which were once fondly associated with the singer’s Eras Tour that came to the UK that summer.
“When Taylor Swift comes on, she turns it off. She doesn't like to make bracelets anymore. I've never said anything to her,” she explained on Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum podcast.
Reflecting on the day, she said: “My life was absolutely ruined that day, nothing will ever ever make it better.
“But we're still a mum, we're still a dad, and that's to Elsie as much as it is to her sister.”
The murders of Elsie, Alice, and Bebe shocked the nation. Dance teacher Leanne Lucas, businessman John Hayes and eight other children were physically injured in the attack.
Southport’s community commemorated two years since the incident with a three-minute silence held in the town at 3pm on Wednesday, observed by public bodies including Sefton Council and Merseyside police. Members of the public were invited to join in, wherever they were at the time.
Foundations have been set up in memory of Alice, Bebe and Elsie. Alice’s WonderDance Foundation aims to “spread Alice’s magic” by supporting young dancers and Elsie’s Story hopes to continue her legacy by supporting young people and children. Bebe’s Hive was launched to support grieving children with creative sessions.
Ms Stancombe said that time had not made the loss of her daughter any easier to bear as she has grappled with overwhelming guilt over the past two years.
“Time is the most frightening thing,” she said in the podcast released on 21 July. “Because it's just further away from when I was with her. It's not healing me. I felt so much guilt.”
She said that her guilt had assuaged in recent times following the disclosure of new information, although she did not clarify what this was.
“I did have a moment where I was like... I don't feel as much guilt as I did because I was just like so many other people that day that took the child to a holiday club and just expected them to have a nice time and I just didn't get to pick her up.
“There were so many people surely across the whole country that did the same that day.”
Earlier this year, a public inquiry into the attack found it “could and should have been prevented” if steps had been taken by agencies and his parents.
Rudakubana, who is serving a life sentence, was transferred from prison to the psychiatric facility Broadmoor Hospital, it was reported earlier this month. A spokesperson for the ministry of justice stressed this does not alter the killer’s 52-year sentence.
The families were informed of the decision in a letter on 22 July, but were not given details on why the transfer happened.
The Independent