Southport Inquiry phase two begins in London

The second phase of the Southport Inquiry, which will investigate issues surrounding violence-fixated individuals, began this week with two weeks of seminar-style hearings in London. This follows the inquiry's first phase, which determined that the attack on July 29 2024, resulting in the deaths of three young children, could and should have been prevented.

Findings of the first phase

The initial phase of the inquiry, chaired by Sir Adrian Fulford, found that Axel Rudakubana’s attack on a dance class could have been stopped if public bodies had intervened and if the killer's parents had fulfilled their moral obligations. The attack led to the deaths of Alice da Silva Aguiar, aged nine, Bebe King, aged six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven. Twenty-three other children present at the time sustained physical and psychological harm.

Scope of the second phase

The second part of the inquiry, held at the International Disputes Resolution Centre in London, will examine wider concerns regarding individuals who pose a risk of extreme violence. A key focus will be the influence of the internet and social media on those fixated with violence. Nicola Ryan-Donnelly of Fletchers Solicitors, representing families of surviving children, stated that the problems identified were not localised and that national examination was necessary for meaningful change. She emphasised the need for internet companies to cooperate transparently with the inquiry.

Nicola Brook from Broudie Jackson Canter, representing adult survivors, noted that her clients remain committed to assisting the inquiry in the hope that gaps in state programmes will be identified, leading to a failsafe system against violent fixated individuals. The initial hearings are scheduled to cover the psychiatry, psychology, and philosophy of violence-fixated individuals.

Upcoming speakers and timeline

Speakers scheduled for the second phase include Lord Anderson KC, who previously reviewed the counter-terror programme Prevent, and Jonathan Hall KC, the Government’s terror law watchdog. The inquiry is expected to continue until December. Families of the victims are also seeking continued support for the children affected, highlighting that they are still living with the consequences of the attack and require essential support for their recovery.