Gary Poland, the taxi driver who transported attacker Axel Rudakubana to the Southport dance studio where the July 2024 stabbings occurred, has had his licence revoked by Sefton Council. The local authority determined that Poland failed to uphold the necessary professional standards.
During the public inquiry, dashcam footage revealed that Poland drove away from the scene as children were fleeing the building. Rather than immediately contacting emergency services, Poland waited 50 minutes, during which time he picked up another passenger and spoke with a friend and his wife. He only placed a 999 call once he arrived at his home. While testifying via video-link, Poland admitted he went into a state of panic but expressed deep regret for not attempting to assist the victims, noting that he remains haunted by their screams.
The inquiry into the tragedy, which claimed the lives of Alice da Silva Aguiar, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Bebe King, highlighted systemic failures across various agencies in managing the perpetrator. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has committed to implementing the recommendations made by Sir Adrian Fulford, who chaired the inquiry, to ensure such failures are not repeated. The council confirmed the revocation of Poland’s licence but did not provide specific details regarding the private disciplinary hearing.
