Teenager inspired by Southport killer who planned attack on Oasis concert sentenced

A teenager who was inspired by Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been sentenced after he planned an attack on an Oasis concert.

McKenzie Morgan, from the village of Llanfrechfa near Cwmbran in South Wales, can be named for the first time after he turned 18. He has been detained for 14 months after admitting at the Old Bailey to possessing a document useful for terrorism.

Morgan had talked of emulating Axel Rudakubana who killed three girls aged six, seven and nine, during a knife attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class during the summer holidays in July 2024. Morgan, who was aged 17 at the time and living with his parents, conducted research into obtaining large knives and, in a chat with a friend on April 19 last year, sent an image of a large knife for sale online saying, "would this work?".

Police found a note saved on the youth's phone on April 28 headed "places to attack". It included images of the Dance Stars Academy near his home, along with directions on how to walk there, taking 31 minutes.

Location data on his phone suggested that he had been close to the school a few days earlier. He had also researched other potential targets, including his own school, and told others on Snapchat of a plan to attack the first Oasis reunion concert on July 4 in Cardiff.

Read more from Sky News:Parents take TikTok to courtLabour MPs anticipate social media ban U-turn His Snapchat account used a misspelled version of Rudakubana's name and he had researched the killer, saving images of him with words added that mocked the victims. He had participated in discussions with other teenagers on Snapchat in which he praised Rudakubana, who was also aged 17, and said he wanted to participate in a similar "terrorist-style" attack.

In one chat Morgan said he had tried to make ricin poison - the same substance manufactured by Rudakubana - although he later told police that was not true. One of those he was talking to on Snapchat reported him to the police.

His family also became concerned and booked him in for an appointment with a counsellor on June 2, during which he said he planned to commit a "Rudakubana-style attack.