On the 29 July 2024, Axel Rudakubana carried out a knife attack at a children’s dance club in Southport. He murdered 3 young girls, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King, and injured 10 other people. Sixteen others survived the attack but live with the serious emotional scars.
It is of vital importance that there is a clear understanding of how this was able to happen, and the lessons identified, so that appropriate steps can be taken to minimise the risk of a future tragedy. A statutory inquiry has been established to achieve this.
On the 7 April 2025 the Home Secretary announced the Government’s decision to establish this inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 – terms of reference can be found here
It will take place in 2 phases. The first will thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack and the events leading up to it. This will include examining an overall timeline of the perpetrator’s history and interactions with various public bodies including criminal justice, education, social care, and healthcare, as well as decision-making and information-sharing by local services and agencies.
The second is expected to examine the wider issues of children and young people being drawn into extreme violence.
Sir Adrian Fulford has been appointed chair to the inquiry.