Southport attacker spoke to social worker about MI5 accessing his information

Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana raised concerns with a social worker about MI5 and MI6 accessing his information, the public inquiry has heard.

Details of the exchange, during which he was reported to have become vocal about the American government and the Taliban, have only just come to light following an “error” in disclosure by Lancashire County Council, the Southport Inquiry was told on Monday.

Rudakubana, referred to as AR during the inquiry, murdered Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, in a knife attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 last year.

Counsel to the inquiry Nicholas Moss KC told the Liverpool Town Hall hearing the legal team had discovered that records disclosed by the local authority were incomplete.

He said the “working hypothesis” was that the council’s data related to Rudakubana and his older brother Dion had been accessed but records linked to his parents had not been authorised.

Mr Moss said there were “extensive omissions” and although some of the council notes reflected meetings the inquiry was already aware of, others were “new and significant”.

Among those was the record of the home visit in which a council worker spoke to the family about consent for sharing of information with other agencies.

The note recorded: “This prompted AR to share his opinion on consent and information sharing and he felt that anybody could access his information and he didn’t want this.

“He went on to say that MI5 and MI6 can access this if they want.

“This led on to him beginning to be vocal on politics, American government and Taliban.”

Mr Moss said: “A record that we have not seen before that AR was vocal in his interest in MI5, MI6 and political issues around the US government and the Taliban is of obvious relevance and we would have wished to have raised that with previous witnesses dealing with Prevent to see if that information would have made any difference, for example.”

The inquiry has heard Rudakubana was referred to the Government’s anti-terror programme Prevent three times but the referrals were closed.

Mr Moss said it was thought the council’s full records had not been disclosed to the criminal investigation.

He said missing material was not thought to change the overall picture, for example the lack of any terrorist ideology from Rudakubana, but it “would in parts, we think, perhaps have been of interest to the prosecution”.

There did not appear to be any basis to consider the material had been held “in bad faith”, he said.

Chairman of the inquiry Sir Adrian Fulford said he accepted “unreserved” apologies that had been offered by representatives for the council.

Earlier on Monday, the inquiry heard from the headteacher of Rudakubana’s former school, Presfield High School.

Lucy McLoughlin said the teenager was on the roll for the specialist autistic school from March 2022 to June 2024 but had an attendance record of 0.7%.

Ms McLoughlin told the inquiry that during his time at the school a number of members of staff visited his home but were not allowed to see Rudakubana.

She confirmed in May 2022 his form tutor, James Berry, carried out a home visit and was given a “warning” by his father.

David Temkin KC, representing families of children who survived the attack, asked Ms McLoughlin: “Was that warning that AR may become violent and may attack Mr Berry if AR was forced to see him?”

She replied: “Yes.”

The inquiry was adjourned until Tuesday.