Adult Southport survivors recount vile abuse on social media after attack, inquiry told

Adult Southport survivors told the public inquiry that they faced 'vile abuse' on social media in the wake of the Taylor Swift–themed dance class attack.

Axel Rudakubana, 19, attacked the Taylor Swift–themed dance class on June 29, 2024, killing Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and injuring eight other children. The atrocity is the focus of a public inquiry opening at Liverpool Town Hall, where witnesses outlined the responses of those who ran the class and others in the building that day.

At the Liverpool Town Hall hearing, Pete Weatherby KC, representing Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle, who ran the class, and Jonathan Hayes, who worked in a neighbouring office, said they demonstrated remarkable bravery in responding to the atrocity. He described how Ms Lucas, who sustained life‑threatening injuries after being stabbed, and Ms Liddle, who barricaded herself and a child in the toilets, acted to shield children and call for help. Weatherby said Ms Lucas insisted that children be treated before her and was the first person to call 999. He added that Ms Liddle almost certainly saved a child’s life by her actions.

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The inquiry heard that Mr Hayes distracted Rudakubana from further attacks for vital seconds after confronting him, though he could not overpower him. Weatherby emphasized that the three adults have faced misinformed criticism on social media, and stressed the importance of establishing an accurate account that reflects the loss and trauma suffered by families and the broader community. He noted that the three adults, along with others, urged the inquiry to examine what multi‑agency interventions were or should have been available and what could be learned to prevent a recurrence.

The hearing also heard that the parents of the Southport killer knew their son was illegally ordering knives online before the attack. Fingerprints belonging to the killer’s mother, Laetitia Muzayire, 53, were found on packaging of the eight‑inch kitchen knife used in the murders of the three girls. The killer’s father, Alphonse, 49, told police that he had previously taken delivery of a blade and hid a 22‑inch machete from his son. Nicholas Moss KC, counsel to the inquiry, said the couple told officers they were too scared to confront their son, fearing he would attack them or his older brother if confronted about the packages arriving at their home.

There was no evidence found that the couple, who fled Rwanda to claim asylum in the UK in 2002, shared their son’s apparent interest in violence. However, a number of teachers, mental health workers and other professionals will tell the hearings that they took issue with the couple’s actions as the boy’s behaviour deteriorated in the years leading up to the July 29 atrocity.

The inquiry is chaired by Sir Adrian Fulford and continues to examine the sequence of events, the responses of those in contact with the family, and what lessons can be drawn to improve safety and multi‑agency coordination in schools and community settings.