A 17-year-old boy who is charged with the murders of three girls killed in the knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport has been named as Axel Rudakubana after a judge lifted reporting restrictions.

The Lancashire teenager appeared at a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, where the Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC made the ruling before remanding him in youth detention accommodation.

The teenager, born in Cardiff, Wales, but living in Banks, Lancashire, could previously not be named because of his age but would have lost anonymity when he turns 18 next Wednesday.

Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed on Monday when a knifeman entered the dance class on Hart Street in Southport, Merseyside.

Eight other children suffered knife wounds – with five of them left in critical condition – while two adults were also critically hurt.

Rudakubana was charged with the attempted murder of two adults, yoga class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes, as well as the attempted murder of the eight other children.

He is also charged with possession of a bladed article, a curved kitchen knife, the court heard.

Earlier on Thursday the teenager appeared in the dock at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court for a preliminary hearing.

At magistrates' court, he had appeared in a grey tracksuit and black slippers and smiled at the packed-out press benches before taking his seat in the dock.