Southport families want answers over police contacts with killer Axel Rudakubana

Families of the small girls killed successful the Southport weapon onslaught were horrified to larn constabulary had been successful interaction with slayer Axel Rudakubana respective times

The families of the tragic Southport victims 'want answers' arsenic it emerged constabulary had visited the would-be slayer 5 times earlier helium attacked a country afloat of children with a knife.

Parents and relatives of the 3 slain girls were lone told this week that officers had been called to Axel Rudakubana's location code implicit concerns astir his convulsive behaviour connected 5 abstracted occasions. Merseyside Police confirmed the families had besides not been told astir 3 referrals to counter-terror bureau Prevent, until Monday this week - aft Axel Rudakubana had pleaded guilty.

The unit said: “Once we knew helium had pleaded blameworthy connected Monday we informed the families. We person been wide with the families that determination are things we can’t archer you.”

Follow the latest updates from the sentencing proceeding here

Today Rudakubana, present 18 but 17 erstwhile helium went connected his sidesplitting spree, was sentenced to beingness imprisonment with a minimum word of 52 years astatine Liverpool Crown Court, with justice Mr Justice Goose saying: "I see it is apt astatine this clip that helium volition ne'er beryllium released" for what helium described arsenic "the astir extreme, shocking and exceptionally superior crime.”

He said Rudakubana “wanted to effort and transportation retired wide execution of innocent, blessed young girls. It was specified utmost violence… it is hard to comprehend wherefore it was done," adding “I americium definite Rudakubana had the settled determination to transportation retired these offences and had helium been capable to, helium would person killed each and each kid – each 26 of them.”

Now a solicitor for the families told the Mirror they privation to cognize precisely "what happened and why" amid claims that concerns astir Rudakubana were ignored due to the fact that helium didn't acceptable a circumstantial spiritual ideology. Sara Stanger of Bond Turner solicitors represents the families of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Da Silva Aguair, 9.

Ms Stanger told the Mirror: "I deliberation what has travel retired since helium pleaded guilty, nary 1 could person anticipated the fig of failings by truthful galore antithetic agencies. She said: "It's wide determination were failings... without those failings we mightiness not beryllium sat present now, the full people whitethorn person been different.

She added: "I can't ideate that they person adjacent digested the fig of failings. They privation to cognize what's happened and wherefore it's happened connected each point. I can't ideate what it indispensable beryllium like, this is the worldly of nightmares."

After months of refusing to talk successful court, Rudakubana pleaded blameworthy to each 16 charges against him, conscionable minutes earlier his transgression proceedings was owed to statesman this week.

Rudakubana took a room leaf an attacked a Taylor Swift creation enactment afloat of children connected July 29. And details of his unhealthy obsession with unit person since emerged, with constabulary revealing however helium researched panic attacks and watched videos of stabbings arsenic helium took a 15 infinitesimal taxi to the country of the creation people successful Southport.

Rudakubana besides admitted panic charges implicit the accumulation of the ricin, aft Tupperware tubs of the deadly toxin were recovered successful his home. After a bid of disturbing incidents, including attacking a chap pupil and attempting to onslaught a teacher, helium was expelled from Range High School successful Formby aged conscionable 13. It is understood helium was past nether the supervision of 2 specializer schools, and known to intelligence wellness services, but his attendance was little than 1 percent.

Ms Stanger said the families felt shocked and relieved by Rudakubana's past infinitesimal blameworthy pleas, but besides welcomed the announcement of a nationalist enquiry into his crimes. She said: "They privation existent change, we can't spot thing similar this and past not alteration the process."