Taxi driver who fled Southport attack has licence stripped

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Taxi driver who fled Southport attack has licence strippedImage source, FacebookImage caption, Gary Poland said he could "still hear the screams" of the children he failed to help ByJonny HumphriesNorth WestPublished26 minutes agoThe taxi driver who fled the scene of the Southport stabbing attack and waited 50 minutes before calling 999 has had his licence stripped. Gary Poland had driven killer Axel Rudakubana to the Hart Space dance studio on 29 July 2024, where the 17-year-old walked into a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop and began stabbing children at random. Dashboard camera footage, played to the public inquiry into the attack, showed how Poland drove away as screaming children streamed out of the building in what he described as being "like a stampede for their lives".

Sefton Council confirmed his taxi licence has since been revoked because he "did not meet the appropriate standards". Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Bebe King, six were killed while eight other children and two adults were severely wounded. The Southport Inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall last year heard how Rudakubana got out of Poland's taxi without paying after calling for a lift from near his home in Banks, west Lancashire, where he had given the false name Simon.

The Details

Poland followed the teenager and shouted that he needed to pay, but was ignored as Rudakubana made his way up a flight of stairs into the dance studios. Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Gary Poland said did not call police until 50 minutes after the attackAs Poland drove away he called a friend instead of the emergency services. The inquiry heard he even collected another fare and dropped the customer off, before speaking to his wife and finally deciding to call 999 when he arrived home at 12:36 BST.

Poland, who gave evidence via video-link, told the inquiry he "went into panic mode" and believed there had been a shooting. In his statement to the inquiry he said: "I regret not helping the children, their screams were harrowing and I can still hear them when I think back to that day. "Poland was quizzed about the conditions of the taxi licence handed out by Sefton Council - which states that drivers are in a "good position to help to keep children and young people safe".

The conditions go on to state: "If, of course, you feel a child or young person is in serious danger of immediate harm, you should call the emergency police telephone number, 999. "Image source, Family photosImage caption, Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar were killed in the 29 July 2024 attackPoland agreed with Nicholas Moss KC, counsel to the inquiry, that the guidance was "common sense". The inquiry heard that Poland's failure to call 999 immediately did not result in a significant delay because dance class teacher Leanne Lucas was able to make a call herself moments after the attack began, despite being critically injured by multiple stab wounds.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.