Alphonse Rudakubana, the father of Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana, has expressed deep regret for failing to address his son's violent behaviour, telling the public inquiry that his inaction had 'catastrophic consequences'. In a written statement, he admitted being 'very scared' of his son and avoiding confrontation, which prevented him from monitoring the teenager's internet activity or intervening effectively.
Giving evidence via video link to the inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall, Alphonse Rudakubana said he accepted his 'share of the responsibility' for the attack that killed three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in July 2024. He described his son's behaviour at home as 'very frightening', recounting an incident where Axel poured oil over his head and threatened to kill him.
The inquiry also heard that the teenager's family found knife packaging minutes after he left home to carry out the attack, but failed to call the police. Axel's brother, Dion Rudakubana, said he initially feared his brother might attack someone but was reassured by his parents, who thought he had gone for a walk. Their mother went back to bed despite the discovery.
Alphonse Rudakubana criticised other agencies, accusing teachers of unfairly targeting Axel and making 'malicious' referrals to the Prevent counter-terrorism scheme. He denied making excuses for his son's behaviour, stating he had 'lost control' and had no authority over him. The father said no one knew the teenager was viewing extreme violent and hateful material online.
