Knives advertised with violent words such as 'kombat' and 'fighter' remain on sale close to two years after the Southport attack, which saw three children killed in a knife rampage. During the opening of the second phase of the Southport Inquiry on July 8, 2026, it was heard how knives with violent words are still being sold online, clearly breaking UK law.
Southport Inquiry Reveals Ongoing Violations
The Southport Inquiry found that the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, 'could and should have been prevented' if agencies had taken steps to stop Axel Rudakubana, who was 17 when he launched the attack on a dance class in July 2024. In a report published in April 2026, Sir Adrian said there was a 'fundamental failure' by any organisation or multi-agency arrangement to take ownership of the risk Rudakubana posed in the years leading up to his attack.
The second phase of the inquiry began in London, where counsel for the inquiry Nicholas Moss KC revealed that online retailers in the UK are violating laws that stop knives from being sold alongside words that 'indicates or suggests that it is suitable for combat or is otherwise likely to stimulate or encourage violent behaviour.' This is covered under the Knives Act 1997, but Moss showed the inquiry several examples of this being ignored.
Examples of Knife Listings
Showing the inquiry screenshots from websites taken on Friday, July 3, 2026, Moss displayed several knives advertised with words such as 'kombat' and 'tactical', breaking UK laws regarding knife sales. He said: 'Sir, this inquiry does not have any power to rule on, and has no power to determine, any person’s civil or criminal liability... We do wish to raise the concern that further urgent action does appear necessary in relation to mainstream online knife retailers.'
One example was a knife black in colour with the brand name 'Kombat UK' with a K, described as a 'Tanto Tactical Folding lock knife'. It sells for under £13. Moss noted: 'Tanto was historically the knife worn by Japanese Samurai. But in modern western usage it can refer to a point style of modern tactical knife.' Another Kombat UK knife was shown available for under £9. Moss questioned: 'Why does a knife need the marketing brand Kombat printed on it? Or the word tactical?'
A further knife, a black knife, was described as having a 'stealthy tactical look' and the word 'Frenzy' emblazoned on the blade. Another example, priced at £250, had the word 'mayhem' printed on the blade. Moss also highlighted a knife called the 'Fighter black', described on a UK website as 'a military combat knife' and 'a true no-nonsense knife for the real world'. He asked: 'Why is a knife called the fighter black being sold and allowed to be advertised in this way?'
Urgent Questions on Enforcement
Moss stated: 'Those interested in this inquiry need no reminder that the attack took place on 29 July 2024. The two-year anniversary will be in three weeks’ time. It is worth just pausing and reflecting on the fact that in July 2026, UK retail websites are still calling knives fighter black, Frenzy and Mayhem, and in many cases printing such labels on the blade.'
The ECHO has since located these knives on sale on websites, which it has chosen not to name. The knives are advertised alongside knife sharpeners, with one knife being described as a 'true no-nonsense knife for the real world'. Screenshots show the blacked-out knives available to purchase, despite breaching UK law.
Inquiry Chair's Optimism and Challenge
The opening also heard from Sir Adrian, who said: 'I am resolutely optimistic that between all of us we are well placed to identify the causes of past failures, along with sensible and effective means of implementing real change. But the detail must await the evidence and submissions that the Inquiry will hear starting in the early Autumn.' The evidence sessions will be spread over September, October, and November, and if needed, early December.
Sir Adrian added: 'More than anything else, young people must be diverted from the thoughts and impulses which motivated AR in July 2024. We are confronted with a growing challenge from violence-fixated individuals, who all too often are not acting out of an adherence to a particular ideology. Instead, the reasons for their interest in violence is various and as a result they can be extremely difficult to identify. All too often they will be acting entirely alone, having spent endless hours in solitude, online.'
The inquiry will reconvene in London on September 8, 2026, and is expected to last for around three months, looking at broader issues around violence-fixated individuals.
