Southport killer's dad warned he may attack teachers

Axel Rudakubana was taken off the roll at Presfield High School a month before he killed three children

The father of the Southport killer warned a teacher who attempted to visit him at home that the teenager may become violent if forced to see him, a public inquiry heard.

Lucy McLoughlin, headteacher of specialist autistic school Presfield High, said Axel Rudakubana had an attendance record of 0.7% after enrolling in March 2022.

He was removed from the school's roll in June 2024, a month before the then 17-year-old murdered Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; and six-year-old Bebe King.

Ms McLoughlin, giving evidence to the Southport Inquiry, said a number of members of staff had visited his home in Banks, Lancashire, but were not allowed to see the teenager.

Rudakubana, referred to as AR during the inquiry, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 52 years in January after admitting three murders, plus the attempted murders of eight other children and two adults, who were all seriously injured.

Ms McLoughlin told the hearing at Liverpool Town Hall that in May 2022 his form tutor, James Berry, carried out a home visit and was given a "warning" by his father, Alphonse Rudakubana.

The inquiry has heard Rudakubana had made comments about stabbing people years before the murders

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."

She said following that a safeguarding issue was logged and staff were accompanied by a Merseyside Police officer whenever they attended the house.

Ms McLoughlin said she had carried out a number of visits but had been told she could not see Rudakubana by his mother, Laetitia Muzayire.

"AR's mother would say 'not today' and push us away from that," she said.

"Sometimes there was no answer at the door.

"One time I managed to get into the lounge and AR refused to come down and refused to be seen. There was no way to see him."

Asked if a reason was given for the refusals, Ms McLoughlin said "Sometimes he was sleeping, sometimes he just did not want to see us."

Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Aguiar were killed in the 29 July 2024 attack

She said the school tried different ways to engage Rudakubana when he first joined.

She said: "He came in and played basketball with his form tutor to get a feel of the building, to build those positive relationships.

"He'd come in when it was his favourite lunch, so he'd come in and have pizza.

"When AR's father said the classroom was too busy, we then took him out of the classroom and he was taught one to one."

She said he also had specialist input from a speech and language therapist and an occupational therapist, who played chess with him to try and build a relationship.

The inquiry has heard Rudakubana was permanently excluded from Range High School in Formby in 2019 after he admitted carrying knives.

He later returned to the school, again carrying a knife, and assaulted another pupil with a hockey stick.

Ms McLoughlin said full details of his history, in particular comments he had made saying he had intended to stab someone, were not included in his education, health and care plan (EHCP).

She said if they had been, the school would not have accepted him.

She said: "Children there are extremely vulnerable, if we had that information we would not have been able to meet AR's needs."

The inquiry continues.