A taxi driver who transported the Southport killer to the location where he later murdered three young girls took another passenger before contacting the authorities. Gary Poland, the cab driver, appeared via video link at a public inquiry regarding the tragic deaths of Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, who lost their lives at a Taylor Swift dance class last summer. Poland expressed feeling overwhelmed and panicked during the incident.
During the inquiry, Poland expressed remorse for not intervening to assist the girls, revealing that he took another fare and called a friend before eventually dialing 999, approximately 50 minutes after dropping off the 18-year-old culprit, Axel Rudakubana.
Poland admitted to acting out of fear, shock, and panic, emotions he found difficult to manage at the time. He deeply regretted not aiding the children, acknowledging the distressing nature of their cries. Reflecting on the events, Poland pondered on the “what ifs,” questioning whether prompt action on his part could have altered the tragic outcome.
Testifying at Liverpool Town Hall, Poland recounted how he had threatened to involve the police when Rudakubana refused to pay, assuming the young man went inside to retrieve money. In hindsight, Poland acknowledged the need to have contacted the authorities sooner and expressed ongoing guilt for not ensuring the children’s safety.
Poland described feeling terror-stricken and in a state of shock, which hindered him from checking on the children. He explained that his perception of danger was heightened, believing there was a potential threat to his safety.
Following the incident, Poland contacted a friend and expressed shock over the unfolding events. He mentioned picking up Rudakubana, known as Simon, from his residence in Banks, Lancashire, and recalled their silent journey until arriving at Hart Street. Poland stated that Rudakubana did not raise any suspicions during the ride, and he was unaware of the knife in Rudakubana’s possession when dropping him off.
In response to questioning, Poland indicated that had he known about the knife, he would have taken action to disarm Rudakubana. When asked about his willingness to confront the situation, Poland affirmed that he would have intervened, considering the weapon to be a manageable threat.