Southport killer referred to counter-extremism programme THREE times
20 January 2025, 17:35 | Updated: 20 January 2025, 17:39
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was referred to the government's counter-terrorism Prevent programme three times before the attack last year, according to reports.
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Rudakubana, 18, pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday to murdering three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport in July 2024.
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.
Despite this, his case has never been treated as terror-related by police as he did not appear to follow an ideology and instead appeared to be motivated by an interest in extreme violence.
Rudakubana had previously been referred to Prevent several times over his general obsession with violence and, on one occasion, was referred over his potential interest in the killing of children in a school massacre, it is understood.
His behaviour was assessed by the programme as potentially concerning but he was deemed not to be motivated by a terrorist ideology or pose a terrorist danger and was therefore not considered suitable for the counter-radicalisation scheme.
After he pleaded guilty on Monday, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) described him as a "young man with a sickening and sustained interest in death and violence" and said he had shown no signs of remorse.
He was first referred to the scheme in 2019 when he was 13 before a further two referrals were made in 2021.
Following one of the referrals, it was recommended that Rudakubana be referred to other services but it is unknown whether this happened.
Multiple sources confirmed Rudakubana’s referral to Prevent.
Prevent is the official national programme to identify those feared to be falling for terrorist ideologies and turn them away from carrying out violence.
Children and adults referred to the scheme are assessed and, if they are deemed to pose sufficient risk, work is done to reduce that danger.
Following the stabbings and Rudakubana’s arrest, an emergency review of how Prevent dealt with him was ordered.
It found the Prevent policies at the time, covering the criteria needed to accept someone on the scheme for de-radicalisation work, were correctly followed.
