No further charges over Southport knife attacks

No further charges are being considered in the investigation into the Southport knife attacks, police have said.

Axel Rudakubana was 17 when he murdered three young girls and severely injured 10 others - including eight children - at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Merseyside town on 29 July 2024.

After Rudakubana, from Banks in Lancashire, was sentenced in January to a minimum of 52 years in custody, Merseyside Police said it was investigating whether anyone had assisted him or failed to prevent his crimes.

Now the force has said that "after a comprehensive review... no further charges will be brought at this stage".

In a statement, Merseyside Police said: "During the course of the criminal investigation into the Southport murders, a number of lines of enquiry were pursued.

"Some of the aspects of the investigation allowed for consideration of charges against those who may have assisted Axel Rudakubana or failed to prevent his crimes.

"Post-trial, the force conducted a comprehensive review of all of the material available and considered it in the light of the case law and statutory offences that may have been applicable.

"As a result, it has been determined that no further charges will be brought at this stage."

Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died in the attack.

In addition to eight other children, two adults - dance class leader Leanne Lucas and businessman Jonathan Hayes – were seriously wounded.

A public inquiry into the attacks began in April.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper appointed former Court of Appeal vice-president Sir Adrian Fulford to chair the inquiry.

The two-phase review will look at policing, the criminal justice system, and the agencies that were involved with Rudakubana.

The second phase of the inquiry will focus on the wider issues of young people being drawn into extreme violence.

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