Harriet Wakeman instructed as Counsel to the…

The Southport Inquiry opened today (8 July 2025) with the Chair’s opening statement, which can be viewed here. The Inquiry is chaired by Sir Adrian Fulford.

On the 29 July 2024, Axel Rudakubana carried out a knife attack at a children’s dance class in Southport. He murdered 3 young girls, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King, and injured 8 other children and two adults. Sixteen others survived the attack but suffered significant psychological trauma.

The Southport Inquiry has been set up to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack and the events leading up to it. This will include examining an overall timeline of the perpetrator’s history and interactions with various public bodies including criminal justice, education, social care, and healthcare, as well as decision-making and information-sharing by local services and agencies. The Inquiry’s terms of reference are available here.

The Phase 1 hearings are expected to commence on 8 September 2025.

Harriet Wakeman is instructed as Counsel to the Southport Inquiry (led by Nicholas Moss KC (Temple Garden Chambers) and with Richard Boyle (Temple Garden Chambers) and John Goss (5 Essex Chambers)).