Gary Poland, the taxi driver who transported Axel Rudakubana to the scene of the Southport stabbing attack and delayed calling emergency services for 50 minutes, has had his taxi licence revoked. Sefton Council confirmed that Poland no longer holds a licence after a review determined he did not meet the required standards.
Details of the Attack
On July 29, 2024, Rudakubana, then 17, murdered three children — Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine — and attempted to kill 10 others at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class held at the Hart Space on Hart Street in Southport. Poland drove Rudakubana to the location and witnessed children fleeing the studio in panic.
Poland's Actions and Testimony
Despite seeing screaming children running "like a stampede for their lives," Poland drove away, explaining he thought he heard gunshots. He did not call 999 until 50 minutes later, after picking up another fare and returning home. During the Southport Inquiry in September 2025, Poland admitted he saw children fleeing alongside his car via his rear-view camera but claimed he did not see anyone injured.
Poland, then a driver for One Call Taxis, also testified that he threatened to call police when Rudakubana ignored requests to pay his fare, but assumed he had gone to fetch money when he entered the building. In a statement, Poland expressed regret: "I regret not helping the children. Their screams were harrowing and I can still hear them when I think back to that day."
Council Decision
A Sefton Council spokesperson said: "This individual no longer holds a taxi driver licence following a review by the local authority. A decision was taken that this individual did not meet the appropriate standards set out in Sefton Council’s taxi licensing policy." The council's licensing handbook explicitly instructs drivers to dial 999 if they believe a child or young person is in serious danger of immediate harm.
