Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has expressed her condolences and called for answers in the aftermath of the horrific attack in Southport that claimed the lives of three young girls and injured several others.

A Nation Mourns

In her statement, the Home Secretary said:

“All our thoughts today must be with the families of little Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice Da Silva Aguiar, and all those who were harmed by this truly horrendous, barbaric, and cowardly attack. Three innocent little girls who went to a summer dance club lost their lives in the most devastating way. Other children faced terrible injuries, and they and all the parents and families have had to endure the most unimaginable trauma and grief.

Cooper praised the strength of the Southport community and extended gratitude to police, first responders, hospital staff, and prosecutors for their efforts in supporting the families and securing justice.

Justice Delivered

Following the guilty plea by Axel Rudakubana, 18, the Home Secretary acknowledged the importance of the legal proceedings. She emphasized that securing justice for the families was paramount and expressed her commitment to ensuring they continue to receive support.

“It is important that justice has been served today. But nothing will ever take away the trauma and loss endured by the children and families, and we will ensure that they continue to receive the support and care they need in the coming weeks, months, and years.”

Calls for Answers

Cooper highlighted the need for transparency and accountability regarding the agencies involved in Rudakubana’s past. The attacker had been referred three times to the Prevent programme and had contact with various state agencies, including police, social services, and mental health services, yet his growing risk went unaddressed.

“The families and the people of Southport need answers about what happened leading up to this attack. The perpetrator was in contact with a range of different state agencies throughout his teenage years… Yet between them, those agencies failed to identify the terrible risk and danger to others that he posed.”

The Home Office has already commissioned a Prevent Learning Review, with findings and proposed reforms to the Prevent programme expected to be published this week. The Home Secretary also called for a public inquiry to further investigate how these failures occurred and what systemic changes are needed.

A Lasting Impact

The Home Secretary vowed to honor the memory of Alice, Bebe, and Elsie while ensuring such a tragedy is never repeated:

“This horrendous attack will leave a lasting impact on our country. We will all remember Alice, Bebe, and Elsie, and we will always stand with the families and the community who are living with the pain of their loss.”

The statement underscores the government’s commitment to learning from this tragedy, supporting the affected families, and reforming systems to better protect communities in the future.