GUILTY UK- Major incident declared in Southport after multiple stabbings, 29 July 2024

[seasideForest]

I imagine his mugshot does cause distress to the survivors, their families and anyone involved in that terrible day he slaughtered those beautiful little girls. However, I find it very strange the media has been asked not to use it. Is there a reason the public are not to be reminded that he isn't just a monster but looks like one too? JMO

The answer to your question is in your first sentence! It's not a protection for the perpetrator, it's a protection for the survivors and their families. Maybe they want to be able to read or see the news in 2 years, 5 years, 10 years even if they're shielding from it now, and they don't want to see his face and name popping up everywhere. Before the days of social media and Internet, you could avoid such a lot easier, but now as I say, articles of news or whatever just pop up and they're there in your face. MOO

I agree. Plus, how does using only his initials AR or giving him a neutral title - the perpetrator - help anyone ?
other than Axel Rudakubana of course - he gains anonymity.

Similar @Alyce
Who knows, maybe the perp would actually like to know his face and name are being spread around? That's what said of school shooters and mass murderers etc, so disappearing into oblivion is actually a punishment for them. MOO

Also, I'm sure it helps (some of) the survivors and their families. Seeing that face again and again and seeing/hearing the name can be re-traumatising. IME as someone traumatised in childhood, it can make a difference to have a neutral name or just initials for somebody who caused trauma to you. The smallest of things can retraumatise, MOO IME. Why not try and protect surviving children and their families??

All MOO JMO

 

[Ruthbullock]

I am glad it has been raised about the exits from the building- having another exit would have made a huge difference in this scenario, it also would have been the same if there had been a fire below or in the stairwell. Someone in Sefton council approved this area as suitable for the classes it was running, and the outcome if they could have left via a separate fire exit would have been very different, not for all, but the vast majority.

ETA: I am not defending AR, but there are bad people and bad situations everywhere, even an innocent electrical fire that people should be able to escape from.

 

[worldwatcher]

Maybe, it's posted before, but I find it weird, that a family member of a perp can acces files of crime and the victims.

Southport killer's brother denied full inquiry access

 

[Smkd]

It feels like some sort of protection given to him. To distance him from his terrible killings, remove him from it all somehow. It's bizarre. JMO

There’s no need to speculate, if you read the reports on the enquiry and victim impact statements you’ll understand why they don’t want his picture published. No weird conspiracies as some are seemingly implying.

"One time she saw a newspaper in a shop with the perpetrator's photo in school uniform and since then groups of school children, especially older boys in uniform are a major trigger.

"We have been unable to get on public transport to and from school since September for this reason."

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Maybe, it's posted before, but I find it weird, that a family member of a perp can acces files of crime and the victims.

Southport killer's brother denied full inquiry access

It is weird. Why would he even want to access all that information? There is so much bizarre about this case IMO. JMO

 

[Telltale]

Well, it's obvious that authorities and msm made mistakes.
Instead of informing their citizens, they choose "the silence" , wich leaded into misinformation being spread:
Redirect Notice

Also, I do think, that (the silence) scandal of decades of rape grooming gangs of little white girls has a lot to do with the distrust of the public,towards authorities and msm.
Authorities were covering up, so that groom rapes of little girls could continu for decades.


What would happen, if a white teenager acted on obsession with violence, like Axel did?
Would authorities take that more seriously, because there is no risk to be called racist?
MOO

"Instead of arresting him – which would have been his second arrest for knife crime – they took him home and told his mother to keep knives out of his reach."

"He never hid his dark obsessions. Professionals who visited him at home said the Rwanda genocide – a mass killing in which both of his parents were caught up – was “all he wanted to talk about”. They had started to insist on a police officer being present at their meetings"


Axel Rudakubana: from ‘unassuming’ schoolboy to Southport killer

The problem was that they didn't have evidence of him being motivated by ideological extremism.

PREVENT is a diversion program for people who show signs of being radicalised by extremist ideologies. AR was violent and obsessed with violence, but despite being reported to them a bunch of times he didn't meet their criteria because he wasn't, for example an islamic extremist.

Whether that criteria should be expanded or there should be other programs for people like him is another discussion.

The police have got no issue with arresting black kids for knife crime. They make up 14% of arrests while being 6% of the population.


Also, I don't know what the narrative of there being silence on grooming gangs is about. The first official government report on this came out in 2013. Operation Stovewood – the NCA’s investigation into child sexual abuse in Rotherham, is ongoing and has been since 2014.

Exactly why should those two things be conflated anyway? Other than the perpetrators are not white.

 

[Smkd]

The problem was that they didn't have evidence of him being motivated by ideological extremism.

PREVENT is a diversion program for people who show signs of being radicalised by extremist ideologies. AR was violent and obsessed with violence, but despite being reported to them a bunch of times he didn't meet their criteria because he wasn't, for example an islamic extremist.

Whether that criteria should be expanded or there should be other programs for people like him is another discussion.

The police have got no issue with arresting black kids for knife crime. They make up 14% of arrests while being 6% of the population.


Also, I don't know what the narrative of there being silence on grooming gangs is about. The first official government report on this came out in 2013. Operation Stovewood – the NCA’s investigation into child sexual abuse in Rotherham, is ongoing and has been since 2014.

Exactly why should those two things be conflated anyway? Other than the perpetrators are not white.

Bang on

There is something to be said about how much the narrative of “police not wanting to be seen as racist” is talked about in the Rotherham case, versus how little the background of the victims (extremely vulnerable girls from troubled homes) is brought up. The crimes and failings of the system were reported time and again but the police and the council simply didn’t care to help those particular victims.

I do think there is a connecting thread - all of the services that are meant to prevent things like this from happening are shockingly inadequate - and it’s only getting worse. People complain about “handouts”, but the services and safety nets that are meant to provide people with support and the material conditions to thrive are being underfunded into disappearance, and this is the end result. Society as a whole suffers. But whenever something like this happens, the conversation around it is never “we should radically change the system and invest significantly more money in social care and mental health care” - it somehow always ends up being “police and service providers are too PC”.

Ugh

 

[Telltale]

Bang on

There is something to be said about how much the narrative of “police not wanting to be seen as racist” is talked about in the Rotherham case, versus how little the background of the victims (extremely vulnerable girls from troubled homes) is brought up. The crimes and failings of the system were reported time and again but the police and the council simply didn’t care to help those particular victims.

I do think there is a connecting thread - all of the services that are meant to prevent things like this from happening are shockingly inadequate - and it’s only getting worse. People complain about “handouts”, but the services and safety nets that are meant to provide people with support and the material conditions to thrive are being underfunded into disappearance, and this is the end result. Society as a whole suffers. But whenever something like this happens, the conversation around it is never “we should radically change the system and invest significantly more money in social care and mental health care” - it somehow always ends up being “police and service providers are too PC”.

Ugh

I've always lowkey side-eyed the 'we didn't want to be seen as racist in this PC culture' explanation. Felt like a convenient excuse covering the fact these girls were seen as problem kids, repeat run-aways who were complicit or compensated for their trafficking.

I think if the mens background was a barrier, it was about it being harder to penetrate those communities, which is why the police/council largely didn't bother. However they also didn't bother for plenty of other young girls/boys groomed by largely white gangs. When white gangs/rings are prosecuted for functionally the same offences, they get a fraction of the media coverage and are often not framed in the same way.

As for AR, people always look back on these cases and say police/social services/mental health should have known and stopped them. However a lot of the time that is hindsight, or assuming they know information they didn't know, or have powers they don't have. The scary fact is that there are plenty of people walking around with risk profiles similar to AR, and limited powers or resources to stop them if they are set on a course of action like this.

 

[Skigh]

Southport: 'We want to carry on Bebe's light and big heart'

Lauren King says her daughter was "very creative" as she speaks about providing grief support.

www.bbc.co.uk

The mother of Bebe King, who was killed in the Southport knife attacks, has said her daughter had the "biggest heart" and she wanted to "carry on her light" by providing grief support for children.

Bebe, six, Alice Aguiar, nine, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were murdered at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop last July.

Bebe's parents have launched Bebe's Hive to provide creative sessions using art, music and storytelling to help bereaved children.

Her mum, Lauren King, told BBC Breakfast: "Bebe was so full of joy and had the biggest heart".
Mrs King added: "She was very caring and creative, and we want to carry on her light and we want to do that with Bebe's Hive."

She said she had "turned to creativity" in her own grief and she wanted to offer that to children in the community who had lost loved ones.

Setting up Bebe's Hive was "a way to concentrate on the beautiful personalities" of children, she said.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1944760202563080394

 

[Skigh]

I imagine he could be trying extremely hard to get himself sent to a prison mental hospital for a cushier. life.

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

IMO It's time for a Robert Maudsley type cell for AR. JMO

 

[CocktailQueen]

Put him in an isolated cell. Tiny hatch for food. No one should ever come in to contact with him again. His name should never be mentioned again. He probably thrives on being notorious. Don’t give him the satisfaction of injuring other people to sell papers or clicks on social media.

 

[sportstergirl]

AR is realising he's Britain's most hated prisoner. No mates inside or out a target on his back,, his family have washed their hands of him. 52 years is the soonest he's getting out (it's likely he'll never be released should he survive that long. His behaviour in prison is certain to see the addition of a couple more years). Prison gangs have a code & none are going to want a triple child killer in their ranks or offer protection.
His recent attack on guards serves 2 purposes, it's going to get him a reputation as a hard case not to be messed with. He could well be behaving in a manner which sees him sent to Broadmoor though he's not going to be seeing any friendly faces there

 

[worldwatcher]

AR is realising he's Britain's most hated prisoner. No mates inside or out a target on his back,, his family have washed their hands of him. 52 years is the soonest he's getting out (it's likely he'll never be released should he survive that long. His behaviour in prison is certain to see the addition of a couple more years). Prison gangs have a code & none are going to want a triple child killer in their ranks or offer protection.
His recent attack on guards serves 2 purposes, it's going to get him a reputation as a hard case not to be messed with. He could well be behaving in a manner which sees him sent to Broadmoor though he's not going to be seeing any friendly faces there

I don't know about his family,tbh. It seems like Dion has interest in the process of the trail. (for what for reasons, idk)

"In his ruling, Sir Adrian said the inquiry would consider the extent to which the threat posed by Rudakubana was appreciated and appropriately handled by members of his immediate family, including his brother.

He said: “Their influence over him, or the lack of it, along with the steps they did or did not take will be the subject of examination during the hearings in September and October 2025 .

The inquiry chairman said it was not “credibly suggested” that Dion Rudakubana had any involvement in the attack.

A number of parents of the child victims and at least one of the adult victims had expressed “considerable concern” about the possibility of Rudakubana’s brother being able to listen to impact evidence and being provided with disclosure of “highly sensitive materials” relating to the narrative of the attack, Sir Adrian said."
Southport killer’s brother will not be able to see parts of inquiry – chairman

 

[Smkd]

I don't know about his family,tbh. It seems like Dion has interest in the process of the trail. (for what for reasons, idk)

"In his ruling, Sir Adrian said the inquiry would consider the extent to which the threat posed by Rudakubana was appreciated and appropriately handled by members of his immediate family, including his brother.

He said: “Their influence over him, or the lack of it, along with the steps they did or did not take will be the subject of examination during the hearings in September and October 2025 .

The inquiry chairman said it was not “credibly suggested” that Dion Rudakubana had any involvement in the attack.

A number of parents of the child victims and at least one of the adult victims had expressed “considerable concern” about the possibility of Rudakubana’s brother being able to listen to impact evidence and being provided with disclosure of “highly sensitive materials” relating to the narrative of the attack, Sir Adrian said."
Southport killer’s brother will not be able to see parts of inquiry – chairman

It makes sense to me - as a sibling I imagine he would have been, to an extent, sheltered from some of the stuff going on with the perpetrator. It’s the sort of stuff grown ups deal with. If this were my family member, I’d want nothing to do with him, but I would still have a million questions.

 

[Telltale]

I don't know about his family,tbh. It seems like Dion has interest in the process of the trail. (for what for reasons, idk)

"In his ruling, Sir Adrian said the inquiry would consider the extent to which the threat posed by Rudakubana was appreciated and appropriately handled by members of his immediate family, including his brother.

He said: “Their influence over him, or the lack of it, along with the steps they did or did not take will be the subject of examination during the hearings in September and October 2025 .

The inquiry chairman said it was not “credibly suggested” that Dion Rudakubana had any involvement in the attack.

A number of parents of the child victims and at least one of the adult victims had expressed “considerable concern” about the possibility of Rudakubana’s brother being able to listen to impact evidence and being provided with disclosure of “highly sensitive materials” relating to the narrative of the attack, Sir Adrian said."
Southport killer’s brother will not be able to see parts of inquiry – chairman

This smells off to me. As much as they are dancing around blame in the language, it low-key feels like they're getting tarred with the same brush.

Unless there is something I don't know, I have seen nothing to suggest Dion is anything like or knew anything about his brother's plans.

For that matter 'their influence over him' and 'the steps they did or did not take' reads the same way, he went to a special school, he was under MH services from 12 years old. The parents called the police on him a bunch of times. One time because they tried taking away his computer access. His dad begged a taxi driver not to take him to his old school a week before the attack.

Without the benefit of hindsight they look like they tried as much as any good family can to manage a kid with serious (and violent) MH issues. The system is broken and inadequate. If they should have done more, so should literally every service they tried to get help for him from.

I got endless sympathy for the families of the victims, but unless something terrible comes out about his folks, the blame needs to stay where it belongs.

 

[Luwin]

'We faced the Southport killer shoulder to shoulder'

A year on, the officers who first faced the Southport killer discuss the impact of his attack.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Dotta]

Southport, one year later

Exactly a year ago
on 29 July, 2024
sadistic Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana savaged children
at a Taylor Swift-themed summer holiday dance class.

Bebe King, six,
Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven,
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine,
all died

and eight more children aged between seven and 13
suffered knife wounds,
as did dance teacher Leanne Lucas
while trying to protect the children.



To remember the devastating day,
the Merseyside town will hold
a three-minute silence
and lower flags on public buildings.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1949993775528292470

Sad first anniversary

 

[dotr]

Police told to release ethnicity of suspects cases after secrecy rows

Forces will disclose the ethnicity and nationality of a suspect when it could reduce the risk of disorder, there are high levels of false information about an incident or there is significant public interest.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Aug 12 2025 rbbm
'Police forces have been told to release a suspect’s ethnicity in high profile cases under landmark new guidelines.

Forces will disclose the ethnicity and nationality of a suspect when it could reduce the risk of disorder, there are high levels of false information about an incident or there is significant public interest.

Decisions on whether to release the information after a suspect is charged will be made by senior investigating officers and communications chiefs at the individual force.'

'Conversations about updating guidelines began following last summer’s disorder, which was sparked by the Southport murders of three young girls by Axel Rudakubana.

At the time, Merseyside Police were criticised for releasing scant information about the teenage suspect, and online speculation and disinformation took hold.

More recently, the Mail on Sunday revealed last week that Afghan asylum seekers Ahmad Mulakhil and Mohammad Kabir, both 23, had been charged over the alleged rape of a schoolgirl in Nuneaton, after sources told the paper their ethnicity had been kept from the public to avoid ‘inflaming community tensions.’