The taxi driver who drove the Southport killer to the dance class where he murdered three young girls admitted he ‘went into panic mode’ and sped away because he thought a gunman was on the loose.
Gary Poland, 56, today appeared via video link at a public inquiry into the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at a Taylor Swift-themed class last July. Ten others – eight girls and two adults – were also gravely injured.
Mr Poland said he thought he heard four or five loud bangs after dropping off Axel Rudakubana, 17, and assumed he had a gun and was shooting at people.
The cab driver admitted he called his ‘best mate’ and took another fare before eventually calling 999 some 50 minutes later.
He said that, with hindsight, he wished he had stopped to help the girls but claimed he was ‘in complete mortal terror and shock.’
‘I did what I did through fear, shock and panic,’ he said. ‘These are human emotions which I couldn’t control.’
He added: ‘I regret not helping the children, their screams were harrowing.
‘I cannot imagine what the victims and their families have been though and they have my deepest sympathies. There is not a day passes that I do not think about that day and the what ifs. What if I had called the police? What if I had got out of the car? What if I had apprehended him for not paying the fare?
‘I accept I could have done more, but I believe my actions as a taxi driver were fit and proper. This was a tragic event that should never have happened.’
Gary Poland (pictured), who drove Axel Rudakubana to the children’s dance class where he carried out the Southport knife attack, waited 50 minutes before calling the police
Rudakubana ordered the taxi under the fake name of ‘Simon’ and barely spoke during the 14-minute taxi journey
The inquiry has 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, around 11.30am on July 29 last year.
The then 17-year-old, who used the fake name ‘Simon’ to book the cab, 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 journey but this didn’t raise any concern as he regularly picked up people who preferred to wear masks and he assumed he was a carer who was going to pick up his car from the garage next door to the Hart Space where the attack took place.
But when the taxi pulled up outside the dance studio, Rudakubana got out without paying.
Mr Poland said he remonstrated with him, but he walked away and into the studio.
The inquiry was told that sounds of distress were captured on Mr Poland’s dashcam just 29 seconds later.
In their opening statement last week, families of the murdered girls raised concerns about the actions of Mr Poland.
Their lawyer told the inquiry, sitting at Liverpool Town Hall, that it must evaluate whether he had a moral responsibility to take ‘protective action’ and dial 999.
Gary Poland (pictured) told the 999 operator that he was about to drive off when he heard ‘screaming, proper screaming
Axel Rudakubana was jailed for 52 years at Liverpool Crown Court in January
The then 17-year-old, who admitted murder and was jailed for a minimum of 52 years earlier this year, 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.
The inquiry has 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, around 11.30am on July 29 last year.
Rudakubana barely spoke during the 14-minute journey and, when the taxi pulled up outside the dance studio, he got out without paying. Mr Poland remonstrated with him, but he walked away and into the studio, where he started stabbing the girls.
The inquiry was told that sounds of distress were captured on Mr Poland’s dashcam just 29 seconds later.
Mr Poland told the inquiry earlier this week, via a statement, that he was in ‘complete shock’ and drove away because he was worried Rudakubana had a gun.
His wife, Lynn, previously told the Sun that he was ‘devastated’ by the attack and ‘feels responsible.’
‘He feels terrible,’ she said.
Rudakubana admitted murder and was jailed for a minimum of 52 years at Liverpool Crown Court, in January.
The inquiry, due to last until November, continues.
