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One educator voiced exasperation regarding what she described as “alarming bureaucracy” that hindered attempts to obtain police, child welfare agencies, and psychological interventions in the case of the individual responsible for the Southport attack, an official investigation heard.

Violence-obsessed Axel Rudakubana had targeted students, confronted a parent, and been caught in possession of weapons between 2019 until July 2024, when he murdered three girls inside a dance workshop.

Yet different agencies—among them the Prevent program, security services, and social services—seemed to hand over the matter back and forth, the inquiry heard.

The lead counsel, lead counsel to the investigation, said it would focus during upcoming sessions regarding whether any organizations participating actually “accepted accountability”.

Counsel indicated this was “significant” how the young man appeared to have intentionally focused on girls and women at the time he selected to strike the Taylor Swift-themed dance session.

Young Alice Aguiar, Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, and a third victim, aged six, lost their lives and more youths and a pair of adults sustained major injuries.

The inquiry, conducted within Liverpool Town Hall, was created to examine the killer’s history, his engagements with concerned organizations and any “failures” that might have averted what was called “blatantly and deeply brutal” tragedy.

Providing his introductory remarks, Mr Moss shared the “red tape” communication was sent by a safeguarding lead, a staff member from a local institution, who had been trying to ensure the student to be present in education over an extended period.

Mr Moss said the school’s efforts “escalated significantly” on 21 March 2023 after the teacher wrote to a colleague explaining how she had contacted welfare agencies, youth psychological services and law enforcement in an effort to secure their involvement—to no avail.

It was further stated: “Short of illegally entering it is unclear how I can see this kid.”

Mr Moss indicated initial stage of the investigation will examine around three “key questions”—whether organizations “assumed ownership or duty” regarding this individual, whether any entity was looking at the “complete risk profile” of his risk, and what “fundamental change” could be needed to ensure the system function effectively.

The barrister said the perpetrator’s internet use and procurement of weapons—including machetes and hunting gear—remained of interest.

Investigators heard on the morning preceding the violence the assailant looked up the online service X for “a violent event”—that showed explicit content featuring a clergy member targeted in a church.

The counsel said although the majority of his online queries had been deleted, authorities uncovered that he not long before seen a document called “piece of suicide literature”.

One tablet found within his house featured stored material including content related to genocide, brutality and arms, an image of a historical figure and a picture showing a wolf dressed formally accompanied by words: “Stay as an independent actor bro”.

An item, which formed part of a criminal accusation Rudakubana confessed to, was a study of a extremist handbook—but authorities further uncovered “anti-Islamic” content.

Via a different electronic item officials found pictures depicting “deeply troubling” visuals such as harm, slavery, mistreatment of women and extremist iconography.

‘Lack of radical views’

The investigation learned his actions in education started to “decline quickly” beginning of Year 9, at the age of 13.

Staff at the institution in the local area noted occurrences such as striking students, and stating “this is why teachers get murdered” upon receiving a punishment.

He was removed from standard classes in October 2019 following a confession carrying a weapon to school stating he “planned to harm another student”.

Later that year, he revisited to the school and attacked another youth using a sports item while carrying a blade in his bag.

The outcome was a guilty plea to violence and holding a blade.

Between 2019 to 2021, officials flagged to the government’s Prevent program Prevent repeatedly by staff concerned at remarks he shared, and online queries related to subjects like “educational violence” and violent incidents.

Yet whenever action was taken, including a multi-agency meeting with MI5, the cases were dropped by specialists due to the fact an absence of “extremist views” was identified.

Mr Moss added throughout this period, different groups part of the council’s social services department started and ended cases with him.

Mr Moss stated the killer’s father, Mr Rudakubana, sought assistance from social workers and therapeutic resources once his actions grew more difficult to control.

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