Southport inquiry: killer’s father ‘sorry’ for failing to deal with son’s violent behaviour

Flowers and tributes outside the Atkinson Art Centre Southport for the three girls who died in the knife attack in July 2024. Photograph: Paul Currie/PA

The father of Axel Rudakubana has told the inquiry into the 2024 Southport attack that his failure to deal with his son’s violent behaviour had “catastrophic consequences, for which I am desperately sorry”.

Alphonse Rudakubana said he had been “very scared” of his son and avoided confrontation with him, which meant he did not oversee the teenager’s internet activity. His son was regularly searching online for violent material and went on to order a stockpile of weapons.