Southport killer Axel Rudakubana is set to be sentenced on Thursday morning for murdering three young girls in a frenzied knife attack last year.
Rudakubana, 18, stabbed and killed the girls, aged between six and nine, with a 20cm-long kitchen knife as he ambushed a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside.
Wearing a surgical face mask while armed with the blade, the then 17-year-old travelled five miles from his family home to the studio where he killed Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe.
As a trial was set to begin at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, the teenager pleaded guilty to the murder of the three children as well as the attempted murders of eight others.
He also admitted production of a biological toxin and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a knife.
Back at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday morning, he is set to be sentenced for a total of 16 charges.
Key Points
- Axel Rudakubana’s neighbours want to move after learning of horrors carried out by Southport murderer
- Axel Rudakubana’s family ‘devastated’ and living in secret location
- Ex-UK counter terrorism chief brands government plan to extend terrorism definition a ‘mistake’
- Southport killer bought a knife from Amazon aged 17
- Starmer promises action to end ‘shockingly easy’ access to knives online
Police called to Rudakubana’s home five times before attacks
Wednesday 22 January 2025 22:55
,
Jane Dalton
Lancashire Police responded to five calls from Axel Rudakubana’s home about his behaviour before the Southport attacks took place, home secretary Yvette Cooper revealed on Tuesday, saying several agencies failed to identify the “terrible danger” he posed.
Editorial: Starmer right to push back on ‘cover-up’ claim
Wednesday 22 January 2025 21:55
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Jane Dalton
The rules on what can be disclosed before a court case are designed to ensure that victims get the justice they deserve:
Home secretary demands tech firms remove dangerous content accessed by killer
Wednesday 22 January 2025 20:50
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Jane Dalton
In case you missed it yesterday: Home secretary Yvette Cooper has put tech companies on notice, demanding they remove all dangerous content that was accessed by Axel Rudakubana in the lead-up to the Southport attacks.
“Companies should not be profiting from hosting content that puts children’s lives at risk”, she told the Commons.
Announcing a swath of reforms in the wake of the horrific attacks in Southport last year, Ms Cooper said ministers would be “contacting technology companies to ask them to remove dangerous material that he accessed”.
Ex-Tory chairman makes false claim over trial timing
Wednesday 22 January 2025 19:45
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Jane Dalton
‘Notable rise” in robberies involving knives
Wednesday 22 January 2025 18:42
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Jane Dalton
Amazon launches ‘urgent investigation’ over knife purchase
Wednesday 22 January 2025 17:39
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Jane Dalton
Knife sales crackdown divides commentators
Wednesday 22 January 2025 16:40
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Jane Dalton
Government critics say Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to crack down on online knife sales is missing the point, many pointing to the failure of authorities to stop Southport killer Axel Rudakubana.
Reform leader Nigel Farage claimed: “The truth is there are murder weapons in every kitchen drawer. What we should be talking about is the total failure to stop this terrorist & the cover-up of information.”
But his former Ukip colleague Henry Bolton called for a ban on knives openly sold as “fashion accessories”.
Sentencing for carrying knives illegally - without lawful reason - needs to be a great deal more strict. But the sale of knives such as these, which I saw on sale at an event and market in Kent, is inexcusable and has to be banned. Yes, knives of various kinds, including from the… pic.twitter.com/pDEE6FzSpo
— Henry Bolton OBE (@_HenryBolton) January 22, 2025
Charities call for knife sales crackdown
Wednesday 22 January 2025 15:40
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Jane Dalton
Knife crime charities have demanded stricter regulation of online marketplaces, because “careless” retailers are making it too easy for young people to buy knives.
Patrick Green, chief executive of knife crime charity the Ben Kinsella Trust, said the tragedy in Southport showed “how careless the online marketplaces are”.
He added that the ease of online sales is “a damning indictment”, saying: “Retailers are just completely focused on making money and not protecting the public. The law has proved inadequate.
“We need to close the loophole that exists around online marketplaces.
“This isn’t an isolated incident. There have been a number of incidents like this.”
Bruce Houlder, founder of Fighting Knife Crime London, told the PA News Agency that knife crime was “more worrying than ever”.
He said: “I think there should be much tougher legislation. It’s foreseeable that these knives are going to be used to cause injury.”
Mr Houlder added there is “insufficient being done” to stop online retailers selling knives, calling them “complicit in the crimes that eventually get committed”.
No 10 could replicate porn access curbs for knife sales
Wednesday 22 January 2025 15:10
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Jane Dalton
Downing Street has indicated “nothing is off the table” to protect children when asked what actions would be taken to enforce Sir Keir Starmer’s promise of tougher rules on online knife sales.
The prime minister’s official spokesman was asked whether the government was happy to see how the Online Safety Act beds in before considering any further legislation.
He replied: “We have worked at pace to implement the Online Safety Act. Our message remains as the home secretary and technology secretary said yesterday. The social media companies should take action now. There is no need to wait for laws to kick in and the prospect of significant penalties.
“More broadly, we have been clear that nothing is off the table with keeping our children and communities safe.”
Asked whether measures aimed at verifying the age of children trying to access pornography could be replicated for knife sales, the spokesman said: “We are obviously looking at these plans and we will update urgently on how we will deliver on these plans in due course.”
Rudakubana researched car bombs, detonators and nitric acid
Wednesday 22 January 2025 13:58
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Jane Dalton
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana is understood to have researched car bombs, detonators and nitric acid as his fascination with violence flourished unchecked online:
Axel Rudakubana’s neighbours want to move after learning of horrors carried out by Southport murderer
Wednesday 22 January 2025 13:29
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Tara Cobham
Horrified neighbours in quiet cul-de-sac of new build homes where Axel Rudakubana lived with his family in Banks, Lancashire, have been left reeling after learning the horrors that he perpetrated.
Local councillor John Howard said some people want to move away after angry troublemakers threatened to target properties in the aftermath of the attack.
At least one home has been put on the market in the wake of the tragedy, resident Paul Jones, 66, told The Independent.
It is not known what will happen to the Rudakubana’s three-bedroom semi-detached home, which has lain empty since the family were taken into hiding.
Owen Aimson, 21, said most residents had never even laid eyes on the reclusive teenager, who made the biological toxin ricin in his bedroom, until CCTV emerged of him walking down the road on the day of the attack.
But he recalls seeing a police car outside the home on multiple occasions. Following Rudakubana’s conviction on Monday, police confirmed five calls to were made to the force from the address between 2019 and 2022 relating to concerns about the teen’s behaviour.
“Once in a blue moon I would get home at 10 or 11pm at night and there would be a police car outside his house,” he said. “No commotion or anything, just a police car so they were in the house. No one knew why.
“It’s crazy to know I have lived with him four doors down from me for a few years.”
Starmer reiterates pledge to take action against ‘unacceptable’ online sale of ‘murder weapons’
Wednesday 22 January 2025 12:39
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Tara Cobham
Sir Keir Starmer has reiterated his pledge to take action against the “unacceptable” sale of “murder weapons” in ongoing efforts to tackle knife crime.
The prime minister told the Commons during PMQs that the government is committed to regulating the online sale of knives.
He said: “It is unacceptable that these murder weapons can be bought with two clicks. The technology is there to stop it and we’re going to take action.”
Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana used a knife bought from Amazon to kill three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, in July.
Watch: Starmer labels tories ‘disgrace’ for voting against school bill
Wednesday 22 January 2025 12:28
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Tara Cobham
Analysis: Kemi Badenoch finally stuck to one topic – but not one which had Keir Starmer on the ropes
Wednesday 22 January 2025 12:28
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Whitehall editor Kate Devlin
In recent weeks, Kemi Badenoch has been under pressure from Tory MPs desperate for her to focus her questions at PMQs on just one topic – in a bid to put Keir Starmer under pressure.
That she achieved this week.
However, she decided to use all of her six questions on schools, instead of a number of of issues which have, until now, added up to a difficult week for the Labour leader.
These include – claims of a lack of transparency over the Southport murders of three young girls last summer, Trump’s entry into the White House and fears he could reject the PM’s pick as US ambassador and cabinet splits over a third runway at Heathrow.
Kemi Badenoch dubs Labour's education reforms 'an act of vandalism'
Wednesday 22 January 2025 12:20
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Political correspondent Millie Cooke
Kemi Badenoch has dubbed Sir Keir Starmer's education reforms "an act of vandalism", claiming the bill - which passed its second reading last week - is "an attack on aspiration".
Instead of asking the prime minister about the Southport attacks, the Tory leader used PMQs to criticise the government’s education reforms, contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
“It is an attack on excellence. This is an attack on standards. This is an attack on aspiration. This bill is with worst of socialism, Mr Speaker, and it is deprived children in England who will pay the price.”
The bill will bring academies in line with maintained schools in several areas where they previously had freedoms.
Responding, Sir Keir said voting against the bill is a “disgrace”.
“She says this bill is not about child protection, we had a young child killed who was taken out of a school by an abuser. This bill closes that gap. That is urgently needed", the prime minister told MPs.
“We have children who have not gone back to school since covid, this bill closes that gap. She can make her points on academies. We can debate academies, but to vote against the bill is a disgrace on all of them.”
Badenoch notes ‘there are important questions to answer’ over Southport killings
Wednesday 22 January 2025 12:13
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Tara Cobham
Kemi Badenoch has noted “there are important questions to answer” over the murders of three young girls on Southport.
However, speaking at PMQs today, she said: “I will return to those after the case has concluded.”
Starmer insists institutions won’t be allowed ‘to deflect from their failures’ over Southport murders
Wednesday 22 January 2025 12:12
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Tara Cobham
Keir Starmer has insisted institutions will not be allowed “to deflect from their failures” over the Southport murders.
The prime minister has said that while “a measure of justice has been done”, the public inquiry he announced this week “will not let any insitutions deflect from their failures”.
PMQs gets underway with Starmer pledging ‘fundamental change in how Britain protects its children’
Wednesday 22 January 2025 12:05
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Tara Cobham
Keir Starmer has pledged a “fundamental change in how Britain protects its children and citizens” as PMQs gets underway today.
He called the “senseless, barbaric” murder of three young girls in Southport “devastating” as he called for action to get justice for the victims and their families.
Watch live: Starmer faces Badenoch at PMQs as Labour leader grilled over Southport killings
Wednesday 22 January 2025 11:56
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Tara Cobham
Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer faces Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister‘s Questions today (22 January) as the Labour leader is grilled over the Southport killings:
Pictured: Starmer leaves for PMQs after announcing public inquiry into Southport killings
Wednesday 22 January 2025 11:55
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Tara Cobham
Ex-UK counter terror chief brands government plan to extend terrorism definition a ‘mistake’
Wednesday 22 January 2025 11:37
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Tara Cobham
The former head of counter-terrorism policing in the UK has branded the government’s proposal to extend the definition of terrorism to encompass atrocities carried out by lone attackers like the Southport killer “a mistake”.
Former Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Neil Basu warned violent individuals could “revel” in being called terrorists as he also warned against the use of the term “lone wolf” due to the risk of “glorifying” perpetrators.
Sir Keir Starmer announced a review of terror laws to address “extreme violence carried out by loners, misfits, young men in their bedrooms” after Axel Rudakubana, 18, pleaded guilty on Monday to murdering three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, in July.
Read the full story here:
Analysis | Will Keir Starmer be tackled over Peter Mandelson at PMQs?
Wednesday 22 January 2025 11:31
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Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor
It has been a difficult week for the prime minister, with Donald Trump entering the White House.
As much as Sir Keir has tried to emphasise that Labour hopes to have a good working relationship with the new US president, the warning signs are not good.
At the weekend he was again embroiled in another row over a senior Labour politician’s comments about Mr Trump – after Labour mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan appeared to accuse him of fascism.
And, as this newspaper reported, the Trump team are unhappy with Sir Keir’s nomination as our next man in Washington – Peter Mandelson.
The PM could face an awkward lunchtime if he is grilled on the issue at PMQs.
Former Met Assistant Commissioner warns against using term ‘lone wolf’ for risk of ‘glorifying’ perpetrators
Wednesday 22 January 2025 11:27
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Tara Cobham
Former Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu has warned against the use of the term “lone wolf” for risk of “glorifying” perpetrators.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning: “It took us a long time to ask the media not to use the expression lone wolves, because lone-actor terrorists/self-initiating terrorists, as we tried to change the language, really love that – it glorifies them, and that’s what a lot of them are looking for.”
Starmer to be grilled at PMQs after launching inquiry into Southport attack
Wednesday 22 January 2025 11:08
,
Andy Gregory
Sir Keir Starmer is set to be grilled at PMQs after announcing a public inquiry into the Southport killings, and vowing to leave no stone unturned in identifying potential failings ahead of the July attack.
Following Axel Rudakubana’s guilty plea on Monday, it emerged that the killer had been referred to anti-terror scheme Prevent three times prior to the attack in which he murdered three young girls and attempted to kill 10 others.
In an address to the nation on Tuesday, the prime minister firmly rejected suggestions of a cover-up by Reform and the Conservatives, saying he would have risked leaving the Southport victims’ families without justice by making information about Rudakubana public ahead of the trial.
Prosecutors will reveal further information about Rudakubana on Thursday ahead of his sentencing.
Ex-Met Assistant Commissioner urges increase in counter terrorism resources or warns lone attackers will keep slipping through net
Wednesday 22 January 2025 10:23
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Tara Cobham
The former head of counter terrorism policing has called for an urgent increase in resources for counter terrorism or feared lone attackers like Axel Rudakubana will continue to slip through the net.
A public inquiry into the Southport killer was announced on Monday after it emerged he had “contact with a range of different state agencies throughout his teenage years”, according to the home secretary, including three referrals to government anti-extremism scheme Prevent before the killings due to concerns about his obsession with violence.
Former Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu described these agencies as “unfunded, untrained, [and] largely staffed by frontline staff who are overwhelmed by demand”, warning: “This will come with a big bill, but that bill has got to be paid if we want to be safe.”
Ex-UK counter terrorism chief brands government plan to extend terrorism definition a ‘mistake’
Wednesday 22 January 2025 09:46
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Tara Cobham
The former head of counter terrorism policing in the UK has branded the government’s proposal to extend the definition of terrorism to encompass atrocities carried out by lone attackers like the Southport killer “a mistake” .
Neil Basu, who also served as Met assistant commissioner of specialist operations, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday: “Bad legislation is made in haste in response to shocking incidents, and my view about whether we should be extending the terrorist definition – we need to think very carefully about the unintended consequences, my opinion is it would be a mistake.”
Describing the Southport murders as “one of the most shocking and horrific things any of us have ever seen”, he backed the public inquiry announced into Axel Rudakubana by the government but stopped short at a review of terror laws, even though he said an expansion was something he had previously pushed for.
Mr Basu said: “We were looking then, and this was in 2019/2020. We’d already seen a growth of what we were seeing as people with no ideologies, so they’re not terrorists, they’re violent individuals.
“And we’ve always had violent people doing violent things, but they’re using any ideology as an excuse for their violent actions. And we were seeing an increase in that number and they were getting younger – and it would’ve been easier to charge them under counter terrorism
“When we asked for it then, I dont think I we were thinking about the consequences of what that might be.”
When asked to explain why he changed his mind on the issue, he said: “One of the main things is, these are violent people often with violent or sociopathic or psychopathic thoughts – if we are going to include a definition of terrorism to include them, some of these people are going to revel in that.
“It took us a long time to ask the media not to use the expression lone wolves, because lone-actor terrorists/self-initiating terrorists, as we tried to change the language, really love that – it glorifies them, and that’s what a lot of them are looking for.”
Rudakubana described as ‘ticking time bomb’ by former classmate
Wednesday 22 January 2025 09:04
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Tara Cobham
After his guilty plea, fresh details emerged claiming Axel Rudakubana had been excluded from secondary school over allegations he was carrying a knife and later returned to attack someone with a hockey stick.
One former classmate told The Guardian he was a “ticking time bomb”, while others told The Times he was an odd pupil who would be disruptive in class, to the point that the phrase “doing an Axel” had become common among the class.
Garage owner tells of confronting killer moments before hearing screams from young girls’ holiday class
Wednesday 22 January 2025 09:01
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Tara Cobham
A garage owner who confronted Axel Rudakubana just before the Southport attack said he had no idea of the “unspeakable” horror the agitated teen was about to unleash – as he called for him to never see the light of day again.
Reliving the horrific events for the first time since 18-year-old Rudakubana pleaded guilty, Colin Parry said all he could see was the killer’s eyes when the knifeman, wearing a bright green hoodie and Covid face mask, arrived on Hart Street in a taxi and took a wrong turn into the entrance of his garage.
When the 63-year-old swore at him and told him to pay the driver, who had followed to demand payment, Rudakubana leant forward and replied: “What you gonna do?”
“He’s agitated, shuffling around because the lad realises he’s in the wrong place, yeah, and walks out,” he told The Independent. “Doesn’t run out. He just walked out, but he pushed past the taxi.”
Moments later screams were heard from the Hart Space studio next door, where 26 girls were making bracelets and singing at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday class. By the time Mr Parry arrived at the scene, his colleague was running out carrying an injured child who he laid on the floor in front of him. His white spray suit was soaked red with blood, he recalled.
Review of terror law would be a mistake, experts warn PM after Southport murders
Wednesday 22 January 2025 09:00
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Tara Cobham
Expanding terror laws to encompass atrocities carried out by lone attackers like the Southport killer would be a mistake – and such threats are not new, security experts have warned.
Sir Keir Starmer announced a review of terror laws to address “extreme violence carried out by loners, misfits, young men in their bedrooms” following the Southport murders.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, pleaded guilty on Monday to murdering three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, in July.
Read more here:
Full story: Starmer promises action to end ‘shockingly easy’ access to knives online
Wednesday 22 January 2025 08:46
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Tara Cobham
Online retailers will be forced to put in place tougher checks to stop youngsters buying knives after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it is “shockingly easy” for children to buy blades.
Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana used a knife bought from Amazon to kill three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, in July.
The Government has promised new laws, which could see retailers forced to ask anyone buying a knife for two types of identification.
Read the full story here:
Lord Carlile backs calls for government to crack down on online retailers selling knives to under-18s
Wednesday 22 January 2025 08:45
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Tara Cobham
Lord Carlile has backed calls for the Government to crack down on online retailers selling knives to under-18s.
It comes after it was revealed Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was able to order a knife on Amazon when he was still aged 17 and had been convicted over violence.
The sale of knives with a fixed blade of more than three inches long to under-18s is illegal in England and Wales, with retailers facing fines or prosecution if they breach the law.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday morning, Lord Alex Carlile said: “The companies concerned have indicated that they’re capable of doing online scans while people are going onto their sites, which are a rudimentary but reasonably reliant test of their age.
“And, also, we all have some form of identity.
“Students often have identity cards for their student lives, and so I don’t see any reason why people who are buying things online should not have to establish that they’re at appropriate age to buy those things online.
“It’s no different from going into a bar and being refused service without proving that one is over 18.”
Lord Carlile calls for more regulation of social media companies after Southport attack
Wednesday 22 January 2025 08:44
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Tara Cobham
Lord Carlile has called for more regulation of social media companies to prevent potential perpetrators from “learning how to be a terrorist online” in the wake of the Southport stabbing attack.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday morning, Lord Alex Carlile said: “It is absolutely clear that the online companies are not prepared to scrutinise the content of what is placed on their sites in a way that will ensure that our children and grandchildren do not see dreadful things online when they’re not mature enough to be able to exercise a critical faculty over them.
“So, given that the internet companies are not prepared to do what they should voluntarily agree to carry out, it is time for a regulatory regime to be established which does not question the right of free speech, but which protects the public from unlawful acts.
“If the internet companies are not prepared to do it, then the sanction is on governments – not just our government, but many other governments.
“And as we saw in America earlier in the week, one can switch off the site – Tiktok was switched off for a day.
“Also, they can be fined, fines based upon their world turnover, very big fines.
“So, it is time that we looked at having a proper regulatory regime for our own country, doing what we have to do first, protecting our own country and our own citizens to ensure that people like this perpetrator are not able to learn how to be a terrorist online.”
Employment minister defends new measures to use two-factor identification to buy knives
Wednesday 22 January 2025 08:43
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Tara Cobham
New measures to use two-factor identification to prevent underage people from buying knives are needed to stop the “absolute devastation” caused by the flow of knives, a minister has said.
Employment minister Alison McGovern was asked about plans for two-factor identification to prevent people who are not old enough to buy knives and whether the technology is workable.
She told BBC Breakfast: “Knife crime is horrendous and we have got to have the new measures that you just mentioned, because we cannot have this flow of knives that can cause such absolute devastation.
“We know that the technology is there to improve verification checks and I think that everyone would want that, every business, every organisation.
“So, the Government will work with organisations to bring in every possible protection to stop knives getting into the wrong hands.”
She said the Government wants to work with retailers but that “in the end, we’ve got to have the right checks in place” and “look at every measure that we can bring forward through legislation”.
Government will take steps to tighten legislation and limit access to knives, minister vows
Wednesday 22 January 2025 08:40
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Tara Cobham
The Government will take steps to tighten legislation and limit access to knives, a minister has said.
“Where we need to tighten legislation so that we limit people’s access to knives that can do such a damage, we will take those steps,” employment minister Alison McGovern told Sky News.
Asked if Amazon would be punished for selling a knife to the Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time, she said that information would come out in the inquiry.
“We’ve got to have the right powers to stop this,” she said.
She added: “We know that knife crime is an issue. It’s a real issue and we’ve got to take every possible step to stop the flow of knives.”
Lord Carlile says police forces ‘should have been more open’ about Southport investigation
Wednesday 22 January 2025 08:39
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Tara Cobham
Lord Carlile has said police forces “should have been more open” about their investigation of the Southport stabbing attack.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, pleaded guilty on Monday to murdering three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, in July.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday morning, Lord Alex Carlile said: “I think the police should have been more open.
“In one instance, they should have made it absolutely clear right from the beginning that this perpetrator was not an immigrant, that he was British-born and had lived in Britain throughout his life.
“It was the false disinformation at saying that he was an immigrant or a recent immigrant that contributed at least to the extent of riots both in Southport and elsewhere.”
Lord Carlile blames authorities’ ‘failure to communicate’ over Southport murders
Wednesday 22 January 2025 08:36
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Tara Cobham
Lord Carlile has said a “failure to communicate” e