Police have formally charged a 17-year-old male with three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder following tragic scenes in Southport this week.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been remanded in custody to appear before magistrates in Liverpool on Thursday.
In a midnight press conference police told members of the media they had finally charged the individual following the attack on Hart Street earlier this week, while urging the public and media to avoid releasing speculation that could affect a trial.
The suspect will be charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.
Bebe King, six; Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, all tragically lost their lives in the attack.
Their families, who are being supported by specialist officers, have asked that their privacy is respected at this time.
Ursula Doyle, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service Mersey-Cheshire, said: “We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.
“Our thoughts remain with the families of all of those affected by these harrowing events.”
Eight other children suffered stab wounds sustained during the attack, and five of them are in a critical condition.
Two adults are also in a critical condition after being injured during the incident.
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