The teenager accused of murdering three young girls in Southport has been charged with producing the poison ricin and possessing a military study of an al-Qaeda training manual.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, has been charged with production of a biological toxin contrary to Section 1 of the Biological Weapons Act 1974.

He has also been charged with possessing a PDF document of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing to or preparing an act of terrorism, contrary to Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

The accused will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Merseyside Police's Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said that the force would continue to lead the investigation into the stabbings on 29 July.

Counter Terrorism Police have not declared the matter a terrorist incident.

Both the ricin and the study of the training manual were found as part of searches of the suspect's house in the Lancashire village of Banks following the stabbing.

Ricin is a highly toxic poison naturally derived from castor oil plants.

None of the substance was found at the scene of the stabbings in Southport and police said the poison they did discover presented a low risk to the public.

Dr Renu Bindra, senior medical advisor at the UK Health Security Agency, said: "There has been no evidence of ricin poisoning in anyone involved or connected to this incident."

The charges which have been added do not require a motive to be established.

In order for the incident to be classed as a terrorist incident, a motive would need to be present.

The teenager has already been charged with the stabbing murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.

He is also charged with ten counts of attempted murder and possession of a knife.

A trial is expected to begin in January.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister's thoughts were with the families of the Southport attack victims.

A No 10 spokeswoman said: "The government is focused on ensuring the families and all those affected receive justice."

Additional reporting from PA Media.

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