Families hope Southport Inquiry will bring 'meaningful' change

The families of children injured in the Southport attack hope the second phase of an inquiry into what happened will bring "meaningful" change.

Phase two of the Southport Inquiry opens today, with two weeks of seminar-style hearings exploring topics related to violence-fixated individuals.

Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were killed in the incident, and 23 other children escaped but suffered physical and psychological harm.

The second part of the inquiry, which will be held at the International Disputes Resolution Centre in London, is expected to look at broader issues on how to deal with individuals who pose a risk of extreme violence

In the first phase of the inquiry, chairman Sir Adrian Fulford found Axel Rudakubana's attack on the dance class on 29 July 2024 "could and should have been prevented" if public bodies had taken steps to stop the killer, and if his parents had "done what they morally ought to have done".

Nicola Ryan-Donnelly of Fletchers Solicitors, representing families of children who survived the attack, said: "The families fully appreciate that the issues and the problems that we saw in phase one were not localised problems. They know that this isn't just something that went wrong here.

"The only way that we can get proper change that is going to be meaningful is if we look across the country and we look at where things are at nationally.

"They want that exercise to be as detailed as possible, so the chair can make really strong changes that are actually going to work."

Among topics that will be dealt with in phase two will be the role of the internet and social media in influencing and enabling individuals who are fixated with violence.

Ryan-Donnelly said it was important that internet companies who might be called on to give evidence to the inquiry co-operated.

She said: "We need all of those companies to come to the table and share with the inquiry, completely transparently.

"Otherwise, the chair is not going to be able to really, properly consider what the situation is and make the recommendations that are needed to make sure that children are protected in the future."

Families of those who survived the attack are continuing to battle for support as their children come to terms with what happened, Ryan-Donnelly said.

"During phase one, there was undoubtedly a lot of focus on what the attacker did," she added.

"The families need the world to move away from that. They need the world to focus on them and their recovery and what comes next because they're still living this every single day.

"Even the girls that are managing the best are not okay, and are still without really vital support that they need."

Nicola Brook, from Broudie Jackson Canter, which represents adult survivors Leanne Lucas, Heidi Liddle and Jonathan Hayes, said: "This is still an extremely difficult process for my clients to go through as they work every day to rebuild their lives.

"Despite the distress this process causes for all those impacted, my clients remain committed to assisting the inquiry and hope that, through the lens of AR's actions, gaps in state programmes will become undeniably clear and a failsafe system can be implemented to stop the growing threat posed by violent fixated individuals."

Tuesday's seminar will focus on the psychiatry, psychology and philosophy of violence-fixated individuals.

On Wednesday, speakers will include Lord Anderson KC, who carried out a review of counter-terror programme Prevent, and the government's terror law watchdog Jonathan Hall KC.

Hearings in phase two of the inquiry are expected to run until December.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.