Southport taxi driver licence revoked after 2024 attack

The taxi driver who drove the Southport attacker to the scene before fleeing has had his licence revoked for failing to meet professional standards, local authorities confirmed on Thursday. Gary Poland, who took Axel Rudakubana to a children's dance studio on July 29, 2024, lost his licence following a review by Sefton Council.

Rudakubana, then 17, murdered three young girls, Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and attempted to murder ten others at a Taylor Swift-themed workshop at the Hart Space in Southport. Poland, an experienced driver, testified at a public inquiry last September that he drove away after hearing screams and what he believed were four or five gunshots, and seeing children "stampede for their lives" from the building.

Poland did not call emergency services until approximately 50 minutes later, after first calling a friend and picking up another fare. In his testimony, he said he fled in "complete mortal terror and shock," fearing Rudakubana had a gun and he was in danger. He expressed regret for not helping the children or calling police sooner, describing their screams as "harrowing" and "bloodcurdling."