What the papers say – January 24
One story dominates the front pages of Friday’s newspapers.
The sentencing of Southport killer Axel Rudakubana dominates Friday’s front pages.
The Guardian, The Independent and Metro all lead on the 18-year-old being put behind bars for at least 52 years after killing three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Meanwhile, the Daily Express and Daily Mail report on the parents of the three victims calling Rudakubana “pure evil” and a “coward” as he refused to appear in court for the sentencing.
The mother of six-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe told her daughter’s killer she hopes his actions “haunt you every single day”, according to the Daily Mirror.
The Daily Telegraph writes a “great obliterating numbness” settled over the Liverpool Crown Court as the sentence was read aloud.
The i leads on the “brave heroes” who rushed to save 23 other children from the attacker.
The Sun focuses on moving words from a witness statement: “When we think of Southport, we’ll think of the girls . Their bravery, their strength. He will not win.”
The Times says the sentencing had sparked calls for legal reform after Rudakubana avoided a whole-life order without the possibility of parole due to his age. But a judge told the court the killer was “likely” to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
The Financial Times reports Donald Trump has called on Opec to bring down oil prices and insisted central banks lower interest rates.
Lastly, the Daily Star says “hordes” of heat-seeking rats could invade homes as Storm Eowyn hits Britain.
