Home Secretary announces public inquiry into Southport stabbings, after Axel Rudakubana admits murders

20 January 2025, 18:35 | Updated: 20 January 2025, 20:27

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced a public inquiry into how three girls came to be murdered at a dance class in Southport by 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana.

Ms Cooper said the inquiry would "get to the truth about what happened and what needs to change", including how the "extremely violent teenager... came to be so dangerous".

The inquiry will look at how Axel Rudakubana, who was referred to Prevent three times, was able to go on and murder three girls at a Taylor Swift themed dance class.

Earlier today, Rudakubana, now 18, pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to murdering Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine and Bebe King, six.

He also pleaded guilty to the attempted murders of eight children and two adults, producing a biological toxin, ricin, and the possession of an al-Qaeda training manual - a terror offence.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "The Crown Prosecution Service has been clear that important information about the perpetrator's past could not be made public before today to avoid jeopardising the legal proceedings or prejudicing the possible jury trial, in line with the normal rules of the British justice systems. Nothing has been more important than securing justice for the families.

"But now that there has been a guilty plea, it is essential that the families and the people of Southport can get answers about how this terrible attack could take place and about why this happened to their children.

"The responsibility for these terrible murders and the barbaric attack lies with Axel Rudakubana. The CPS has described him as "a young man with a sickening and sustained interest in death and violence" who has "shown no sign of remorse."

"But the families and the people of Southport also need answers about what happened leading up to this attack. The perpetrator was in contact with a range of different state agencies throughout his teenage years.

"He was referred three times to the Prevent programme between December 2019 and April 2021 aged 13 and 14. He also had contact with the police, the courts, the Youth Justice system, social services and mental health services. Yet between them, those agencies failed to identify the terrible risk and danger to others that he posed.

"This terrible case comes against a backdrop over a series of years in which growing numbers of teenagers have been referred to Prevent, investigated by counter-terror police, or referred to other agencies amid concerns around serious violence and extremism. We need to face up to why this has been happening and what needs to change.

"Although, in line with CPS advice to preserve the integrity of the prosecution, we were constrained in what we were able to say at the time, the Home Office commissioned an urgent Prevent Learning Review during the summer into the three referrals that took place and why they were closed. We will publish further details this week, alongside new reforms to the Prevent programme.

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"But we also need more independent answers on both Prevent and all the other agencies that came into contact with this extremely violent teenager as well as answers on how he came to be so dangerous, including through a public inquiry that can get to the truth about what happened and what needs to change.

"This horrendous attack will leave a lasting impact on our country. We will all remember Alice, Bebe and Elsie, and we will always stand with the families and the community who are living with the pain of their loss. In our efforts to answer the questions that remain about this case, the need to see justice done for the victims and their families will remain at the forefront of our minds."

'Barbaric crime'

Earlier today, Sir Keir Starmer shared a social media post saying he wants the families to know that "our thoughts are with them and everyone in Southport affected by this barbaric crime."

"The whole nation grieves with them."

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp welcomed the announcement of a public inquiry.

He said: "There are many questions that remain unanswered about what went wrong. We also need to know who in Government knew what and when, as well as why the authorities may have withheld some information from the public.

"As Jonathan Hall, Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, has said in the past being open at an early stage is important to maintaining public confidence.

"The families of Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe deserve answers, as do the people of Southport, to ensure this never happens again."

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said it will present its "full case" on Axel Rudakubana to court when he is sentenced on Thursday, amid questions over why more information cannot be disclosed now he has pleaded guilty to his crimes.

Nick Price, CPS director of legal services, said: "Following his guilty pleas, Axel Rudakubana is due to be sentenced on Thursday this week for his crimes.

"The next stage of the process is for the prosecution to present our full case to the court on Thursday, including relevant details of the defendant's past, so the judge can consider all of the evidence when passing sentence.

"This will be the point when the full details of this case will be heard by the public."