A taxi driver who dropped off the Southport murderer at a children’s dance class, fled the scene of the stabbings, and waited nearly 50 minutes before calling emergency services has had his taxi licence revoked.

Gary Poland, 56, transported Axel Rudakubana to the Hart Space dance studio in Southport on 29 July 2024 for a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club. Shortly after dropping him off, Poland heard four or five loud bangs and the screams of terrified children fleeing the building.

Fearing Rudakubana had a gun and was shooting people, Poland drove away “in complete mortal terror and shock.” Despite seeing children running “like a stampede for their lives” alongside his taxi, he did not immediately contact the police. Instead, he picked up another fare and returned home before finally calling 999 around 50 minutes later.

During the Southport Inquiry held in September 2025 at Liverpool Town Hall, Poland admitted he panicked and was not thinking clearly. He expressed deep regret, stating he could still hear the “harrowing” screams of the children and often thinks about what might have happened if he had acted differently.

“I regret not helping the children. Their screams were harrowing and I can still hear them when I think back to that day. I regret not doing more. There isn’t a day that passes when I don’t think about that day and what ifs.” — Gary Poland

Sefton Council has now confirmed that Poland no longer holds a taxi driver’s licence following a formal review. A council spokesman said: “A decision was taken that this individual did not meet the appropriate standards set out in Sefton Council’s taxi licensing policy.”

The tragic attack claimed the lives of three young girls: Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7. Rudakubana was later sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in prison.

This case has raised serious questions about the responsibilities of taxi drivers when they suspect a child or young person may be in immediate danger. Sefton Council’s taxi licensing handbook explicitly encourages drivers to dial 999 in such situations.

Poland’s licence revocation serves as a strong reminder of the professional and moral standards expected in the taxi trade, particularly in emergencies involving vulnerable passengers and children.