A teenage survivor of the July stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday dance club in Southport has described the convicted attacker, Axel Rudakubana, as "a coward" and said the violence continues to affect her daily life and relationships.
The girl, who cannot be identified because of her age, was stabbed three times in her arm and back during the incident that resulted in the deaths of three children — Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9; Bebe King, 6; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7 — and left others injured. Six months after the attack, Rudakubana pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and eight counts of attempted murder and was later given a minimum 52-year sentence.
The teenager said the lasting harm has been more psychological than physical. "It's hard because I isn't as happy as she used to be," her mother said, describing changes to her daughter's mood and friendships. The girl said the months after the attack were difficult, including returning to school "like the elephant in the room" and missing an entire summer with friends.
She described unease about attending dance classes, a hobby she loved: "When I'm there it's a two and half hour session but then I was also unsure about the security of the building as well and whether I'm safe." Her mother said the school has been supportive and arranged days out to try to rebuild normality for pupils affected by the attack.
The survivor criticised Rudakubana's decision to plead guilty at the start of his trial, saying it was yet another example of what she described as cowardice. "How many times could you have pleaded guilty before that and then you do it just at the last second," she said. "He was too cowardly to face it, he proved that by shouting in the courtroom."
The attack unfolded within about 12 minutes at the Hart Space in the Merseyside town. Bystanders rushed to help as police arrived; a nearby businessman, John Hayes, ran to the scene and was stabbed while trying to intervene. Dramatic footage released after the incident shows officers arresting Rudakubana at the building.
Police later discovered a stockpile of weapons and materials at Rudakubana's family home in Banks, Lancashire, including knives, a machete and a bow and arrow, as well as items the inquiry said could be used to make explosives and poisons. Digital material recovered from devices included footage of violent acts and downloads on historical violence.
An independent inquiry chaired by retired Lord Justice Sir Adrian Fulford is examining how multiple state agencies — the police, the courts, the NHS and social services — had prior contact with Rudakubana and yet failed to prevent the attack. Sir Adrian described the assault as "an almost unimaginable but nonetheless mercilessly calculated" killing spree and said the inquiry must secure answers for the victims' families and make recommendations to prevent similar incidents.
The inquiry is scrutinising Prevent, the Government's counter-extremism programme, after Rudakubana was referred to it three times. A subsequent review concluded that too much weight had been placed on the absence of a clear political or religious ideology and that the case should not have been closed. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told Parliament that Rudakubana had admitted carrying a knife on multiple occasions and had expressed interest in school shootings and other violent events.
Police officers who responded to the scene described traumatic scenes and said the attack had changed their working lives. Sergeant Greg Gillespie told the BBC he had seen "fear" on victims' faces and recalled thinking a child might be dead. Sergeant Gillespie, PC Luke Holden and PCSO Timothy Parry were later recognised at the Police Federation of England and Wales bravery awards for their actions.
Public reaction to the attack included a town-wide silence to mark the anniversary, attended by mourners who later left flowers despite requests from the victims' families for donations to causes in the victims' names rather than public tributes. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to the victims and praised the families' resilience, saying the nation stood "in grief, in honour of the memory of those wonderful children, and in admiration of the families who have shown strength beyond words."
The inquiry will also examine whether courts should have powers to impose restrictions on people suspected of planning serious violent offences, such as curfews, electronic monitoring or limits on internet use, even if no crime has yet been committed. Sir Adrian said there were already "undisputed and troubling facts" showing Rudakubana had been on the radar of agencies for years and posed a significant risk of violent harm.
Hearings have featured impact statements from the families of victims and survivors, and are due to continue, with further statements expected from remaining relatives. The inquiry will not examine the civil unrest that followed the murders but will focus on agency failings, the reasons Rudakubana was able to access violent material and weapons, and what changes are needed to reduce the risk of similar attacks in future.