The Southport child killer’s sentence will not be referred to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme, the Attorney General has said.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, was jailed for a minimum of 52 years in January, after murdering three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July last year.
However, the sentence brought criticism from a family involved in the attack and MPs, alongside calls for changes in the law.
Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time, killed Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and attempted to murder eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.
He received one of the highest minimum custody terms on record for the attack.
Lord Hermer KC said on Friday: “It was understandable that we received multiple requests to review the sentence under the unduly lenient sentence scheme, which is designed to identify and remedy gross errors made by judges.
“After careful consideration of independent legal advice and consultation with leading criminal barristers and the Crown Prosecution Service, I have concluded that this case cannot properly be referred to the Court of Appeal.
“No one would want the families to be put through an unnecessary further court process where there is no realistic legal basis for an increased sentence.
“The 52-year sentence imposed by the judge was the second longest sentence imposed by the courts in English history.
“Rudakubana will likely never be released and will spend the rest of his life in jail.”
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Southport MP, Patrick Hurley, previously asked Lord Hermer KC to review Rudakubana’s sentence, saying it is “not severe enough”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said at the time the 18-year-old “vile offender will likely never be released”.
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Rudakubana’s sentence may be the longest imposed on a killer of his age. He cannot receive a whole-life order – reserved for those aged 21 and over – as he was 17 at the time of the attack.
