The family of a survivor of the Southport stabbings have condemned the killer’s ‘neglectful’ and ‘cowardly’ parents after they ‘failed’ to stop the attack that left three little girls dead.
Child C1, as the girl is known to protect her anonymity, attempted to flee the Taylor Swift-themed dance class before Axel Rudakubana dragged her back inside and stabbed her 33 times.
The horrifying attack left Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, dead and ten others – including child C1 – seriously injured when Rudakubana, then 17, went on his rampage on July 29 2024.
Now, the parents of Child C1 have claimed that the attack occurred because of ‘repeated failures, missed opportunities and a lack of accountability across many agencies and individuals, not least by the reprehensible, neglectful and cowardly behaviour of the parents’.
They added that the behaviour of those who stood up to Rudakubana stands in ‘stark contrast’ to the ‘inaction of all those who had contact with him right up until he entered The Hart Space’.
‘He [Rudakubana] should have never got to them; and every moment, right up until the second he did, someone could and should have stopped him. This should never have happened,’ the family said.
Speaking at the Southport Inquiry yesterday, Rudakubana’s father, Alphonse, 49, told the victims’ parents that his youngest son was a ‘monster’ who murdered their ‘beautiful angels’.
He said he knew Axel was hoarding large knives and weapons in the months and weeks before the attack, and that he had potentially foiled an attempt by his son to set fire to his old school, seven days before the murder spree.
Bebe King, six, (left) Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, (centre) and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, (right) were all murdered in the horrific attack on July 29, 2024
Axel Rudakubana was jailed for 52 years for the girls’ murders at Liverpool Crown Court in January
But Mr Rudakubana said he lacked ‘courage’ and the ‘pure love’ for his son had stopped him from reporting him to police.
Nicholas Bowen KC, who represents the parents of Elsie, Bebe and Alice, told Mr Rudakubana: ‘All three sets of parents have listened to what you’ve written and what you’ve said and have complete disdain for your excuses and the manner in which you have answered questions.’
However, Sir Adrian Fulford, chairman of the inquiry, criticised the barrister for not raising the comments with him in advance and said they were ‘not appropriate’.
Asked earlier if he wanted to say anything to the parents of the girls, Mr Rudakubana insisted he ‘cried all the time’ for them.
‘I’d like to say my deepest sympathy,’ he said. ‘My condolences for their beautiful angels whose lives were taken away by my son.
‘I am so desperately sorry for them and everyone else who’s been harmed.
‘I cry for them all the time because I have a reminder (of) my son who turned (out) to be a monster.’
He added: ‘I’m so ashamed I lost the courage to save their little angels, I’m so, so sorry.’
Despite his apology, the family of child C1 said: ‘Our children deserve more than a written statement that says “sorry”.’
Chairman Sir Adrian Fulford is overseeing the inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall
A knife identical to the one used in the attack carried out by Rudakubana at The Hart Space, in Southport, last July
They continued: ‘Accountability must be meaningful, and where appropriate, those who failed in their duties should face consequences which may include loss of their positions to reflect the seriousness of their failings.’
Speaking at the inquiry in July, C1’s mother said that her injuries were ‘vast’ and covered ‘so much of her body and organs’.
Her mother told the inquiry: ‘The damage was catastrophic. The hours and days that followed the attack were a living hell.’
The inquiry heard how her daughter had shielded other children as they were attacked and screamed at them to run.
A statement released by Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, Associate Solicitor at Fletchers Solicitors, on behalf of the family of Child C1 read: ‘Over the past nine weeks we have sat through hours of evidence that have confirmed what we have always known. The attack on 29 July 2024 was preventable.
‘It was not a tragedy that could have been stopped by chance intervention or luck, but one that could have been stopped at multiple points, over a number of years. There were times it could have been prevented if people had simply fulfilled their basic duties and roles.
‘This devastating event occurred because of repeated failures, missed opportunities and a lack of accountability across many agencies and individuals, not least by the reprehensible, neglectful and cowardly behaviour of the parents.
Families of the victims with their legal team arrive at Liverpool Town Hall for the Southport Inquiry
‘Because of those failures, the burden of courage to face him, to stand up to him fell to children, including our daughter and their teachers. In the face of unimaginable danger those children showed bravery far beyond their years. Their courage stands in stark contrast to the inaction of all those who had contact with him right up until he entered The Hart Space.
‘He should have never got to them; and every moment, right up until the second he did, someone could and should have stopped him. This should never have happened.
‘We are left with shattered lives filled with the physical and emotional consequences of that day. We continue to support our daughter through ongoing pain, trauma and loss.
‘While we trust that the Chair will make the necessary recommendations to ensure that such failings can never be repeated, we hope that those who failed will be held to account. There must be consequences and meaningful change.
‘The impact of these failings will remain with us for the rest of our lives, and it is only right that those responsible also face lasting consequences of their actions. Our children deserve more than a written statement that says “sorry”.
‘Accountability must be meaningful, and where appropriate, those who failed in their duties should face consequences which may include loss of their positions to reflect the seriousness of their failings.
‘Do not forget the courage shown by the victims that day nor the resilience they continue to show every single day.
‘We would like to thank our dedicated legal team at Fletchers Solicitors for their support. They have worked tirelessly to help us uncover the truth and the astonishing scope of the failings, advocating for us when it has been too difficult to take part. We are truly grateful to them all.’
Rudakubana was jailed for 52 years for the girls’ murders at Liverpool Crown Court in January
