In an inquiry, a police sergeant disclosed that had she been aware of the Southport killer’s internet search history, she would not have closed his initial referral to the government’s anti-terror program. The killer, identified as Axel Rudakubana, carried out a fatal attack on three children and attempted to harm several others during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July last year. The inquiry showcased the first referral to the Prevent program made by Rudakubana’s school in December 2019.
The referral contained concerning details, including Rudakubana bringing a knife to his previous school multiple times, searching for school shootings during class, and expressing curiosity about violent images. The inquiry also learned that Rudakubana had a history of violence, such as attacking a fellow student with a hockey stick and being in possession of a knife.
Despite finding the referral troubling initially, Police Sergeant Carmen Thompson, who handled Rudakubana’s case at Prevent, recommended closing the referral after further assessment. However, she admitted that had she known about Rudakubana’s disturbing internet searches at the time, she would have referred the case to Channel for early intervention support.
During a strategy meeting, it was revealed that Rudakubana had made inappropriate comments and showed troubling behaviors, which Sergeant Thompson attributed to his autism. She acknowledged his violent tendencies but did not perceive them as meeting the threshold for a Channel referral. Reflecting on her decision, she acknowledged the difficulty of assessing the situation in hindsight, given the tragic events that transpired.
The emotional sergeant continued to provide evidence at the inquiry, which is ongoing.
