Taxi driver who dropped Southport killer at the dance class then fled as he listened to children's screams is stripped of his licence

By NOOR QURASHI, NEWS REPORTER and LIZ HULL, NORTHERN CORRESPONDENT Published: 20:59, 2 July 2026 | Updated: 21:00, 2 July 2026 The taxi driver who dropped Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana off at a children's dance class has been stripped of his licence – after he admitted to fleeing despite hearing 'an awful orchestra of blood–curdling screams'. Gary Poland, 56, listened to four or five loud bangs and claimed he drove away 'in complete mortal terror and shock' because he feared Rudakubana had a gun and was shooting people. The 56–year–old had picked the teenager up and taken him to the Hart Space, where 26 young girls were enjoying a Taylor Swift–themed holiday club, on the morning of July 29, 2024. But although Mr Poland saw children fleeing the building and screaming in terror in his rear–view mirror, he did not stop to help. Instead he sped away, called his best friend twice and took another fare, before going home and finally dialling 999 almost an hour later. Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, died at the scene while nine–year–old Alice da Silva Aguiar died in hospital the following day. Sefton Council has now confirmed Mr Poland's licence has been revoked as he 'did not meet the appropriate standards', the BBC reports. In September last year the driver told a public inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall that he wished he had called police much sooner. Gary Poland (pictured) told the 999 operator that he was about to drive off when he heard 'screaming, proper screaming' Southport triple murderer Axel Rudakubana is seen in the back of a taxi before launching a frenzied attack on children (L-R) Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were all murdered in the atrocity on July 29, 2024 Your browser does not support iframes. But he insisted: 'I did what I did through fear, shock and panic. 'These are human emotions which I couldn't control. I regret not helping the children, their screams were harrowing.' The inquiry was shown a statement Mr Poland made to police, around six hours after the attack. In it he described the children's screams as 'terrifying' and 'the most awful sound.' 'An orchestra of blood–curdling screams filled the air,' he told police. 'Scream after scream pierced my ears, the screams sounded like a mix of young and old, male and female. 'This was terrifying, I was in a state of complete mortal terror and shock. 'I then saw a massed huddle of children, aged approximately six or seven years old, stumble and run in a panicked hurry out of 34a Hart St. They were screaming, it was like a stampede for their lives.' Despite this, Mr Poland admitted he did not stop or call police, but instead called his best friend, Julian Medlock, who worked in the garage and spray shop next to the dance studio, because he was worried for his safety. Mr Poland claimed at the inquiry he accepted his next job, which came through to him via an App on his mobile phone soon afterwards, 'by accident.' In that conversation, Mr Poland told Mr Medlock: 'I heard these f******* shots and I just f****** shot off Jim… Lucky he didn't f****** shoot me, weren't it?' Mr Poland claimed at the inquiry he accepted his next job, which came through to him via an App on his mobile phone soon afterwards, 'by accident.' 'I took the job, I don't know why,' he said. 'My head wasn't there, I didn't really know what I was doing.' Mr Moss said Mr Poland even engaged in mundane conversation with his female passenger and when a police car sped past them, with its emergency lights flashing and siren blaring, he remarked: 'He's in a rush, isn't he?' The inquiry heard Mr Poland's failure to call 999 immediately did not result in a significant delay because dance teacher Leanne Lucas was able to make a call herself moments after the attack began, despite being critically injured by multiple stab wounds. Chris Walker, director of serious injury at law firm Bond Turner, has now said the three bereaved families he represented 'welcome the decision' to revoke Mr Poland's licence 'as a necessary step towards securing individual accountability for those whose actions fell below the standards the public should expect'. Sefton Council said: 'Mr Poland no longer holds a taxi driver licence following a review into his fitness to hold it by the local authority. 'The council found he did not meet the appropriate standards.' Axel Rudakubana was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 52 years, at Liverpool Crown Court in January last year A spokesman added taxi licensing hearings are held in private and the precise reasoning for a revocation are not made public. The inquiry had heard that Mr Poland, who worked for One Call Taxis, picked up Rudakubana from his home, in Banks, a village around five miles from the seaside town, at 11.31am. He used the fake name 'Simon' to book the cab and was wearing a Covid–style face mask and distinctive green hoodie, with the hood pulled up. Mr Poland, who has been a cab driver for 27 years, said Rudakubana barely spoke during the 14–minute journey but that gave him no cause for concern. However, when the taxi pulled up outside the dance studio, Rudakubana got out without paying. Mr Poland said he remonstrated with him and threatened to call the police, but Rudakubana simply walked away and up the stairs into the studio. The inquiry was told that sounds of distress were captured on Mr Poland's dashcam just 29 seconds later. Mr Poland said: 'I was waiting for my money. I thought I would give him a minute or two, which I did, then I heard all the screams.' He claimed that he went into 'panic mode' after hearing what he thought was gun shots and drove off. Bebe King,  Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice da Silva Aguiar were all murdered by 17–year–old Rudakubana. Ten others - eight girls and two adults - were also gravely injured. Rudakubana admitted murder and was jailed for a minimum of 52 years at Liverpool Crown Court, in January last year. Mr Poland said he had suffered psychological problems since the attack and no longer picked up fares he didn't know. 'I can't sleep at night,' he said. 'I shut my eyes and I see his face, it's there all the time in my head.' In May this year, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy announced a shake–up to the youth justice system – including reforms which mean parents and guardians could be jailed if found not to have played their role in stopping their children committing a crime. As part of the plans, parents and carers could face greater responsibility and harsh repercussions for their children who commit crimes and cause anti–social behaviour. It comes after a damning report found the Southport attack would not have happened if Rudakubana's parents had done their 'moral' duty as they knew their son was hoarding an arsenal of weapons, including machetes, for at least a year but did nothing. Sir Adrian Fulford, chairing a public inquiry, said their actions, combined with catastrophic failures by police, social services, mental health teams, and other Government agencies, left the teenager free to kill. No comments have so far been submitted. 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