The Southport Inquiry's second phase opened on July 8, 2026, with Chair Sir Adrian Fulford addressing the growing challenge of violence-fixated individuals who do not act in adherence to a singular ideology. Sir Adrian expressed resolute optimism that change can be achieved after identifying five major failings earlier this year.
Background of the Attack
The 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 attacked a dance class in July 2024. In a report published in April 2026, Sir Adrian noted a 'fundamental failure' by any organisation or multi-agency arrangement to take ownership of the risk Rudakubana posed.
Families' Objectives
Chris Walker, representing the bereaved families, stated: 'Ultimately, the families' objective is simple: to ensure that every possible lesson is learned from Southport, that vulnerable children and members of the public receive the greatest possible protection, and that future atrocities are prevented wherever possible.'
Opening Remarks
The hearing began with a minute's silence for the three girls and those injured. Sir Adrian 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.' He 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.'
Sir Adrian concluded: 'The scale of the task before us is, therefore, considerable, not least because the problem we have been asked to address is profound and cannot be solved by some easy, quick-fix remedy. But we will do all in our power to provide a range of practical and enforceable solutions by the Spring of next year when we deliver the Phase 2 Report. Our core objective is to contribute to real change given the devastation that can be wrought by those fixated on violence in this way. The victims of AR’s grotesque actions on 29 July 2024 deserve nothing less.'
Phase Two Case Studies
Counsel to the inquiry, Nicholas Moss KC, outlined that Phase Two will examine six violence-fixated individuals as case studies, focusing on common themes rather than assessing the circumstances of their actions. Two case studies are covered by anonymity orders due to being young offenders; cases C-F are referred to by cipher.
- Case A: A convicted young offender fitting the category of a violence-fixated individual.
- Case B: Another convicted young offender fitting the category.
- Case C: An individual convicted of three murders and related firearms and bladed-article offences, who planned a firearms attack at his former primary school, fixated on mass shootings, and was sentenced to life with a minimum of 48 years.
- Case D: A murderer who killed two women at random with a knife from Amazon, previously in the Channel program for far-right material, sentenced to life with a minimum of two concurrent 35-year periods.
- Case E: An individual who carried out violent assaults on elderly strangers, including attempting to drown one victim, and killed a 12-year-old in a random knife attack, sentenced to detention for life with a minimum of 13 years.
- Case F: A killer who used a shotgun to kill his mother and then shot six people in the street, killing four, before dying by suicide at the scene.
Topics for Phase Two
Mr Moss identified four topics: arrangements for dealing with violence-fixated individuals and the agencies involved; the role of the internet and social media; effectiveness of current laws and systems in identifying, monitoring, and disrupting such individuals online; and effectiveness of policies, regulation, and enforcement of weapon sales and possession.
Knife Sales Highlighted
Near the end of the opening, Mr Moss revealed that knives are still being sold online with violent buzzwords like 'frenzy', 'mayhem', and 'kombat', despite legislation prohibiting marketing knives as suitable for combat or encouraging violence. He showed that blacked-out 'kombat' knives are available for as little as £9 online. Mr 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 3 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. So Sir, the Inquiry will be taking a particularly close interest in how the follow up to the Policing Minister’s communications on Monday play out. From this kind of marketing that is still so easily accessible online, it might be thought that such action is urgently required.'
Phase Two of the Southport Inquiry will reconvene in London on September 8, 2026.
