Southport Inquiry opens to examine attack and response lessons

The first phase of the Southport Inquiry has begun, following the conviction of the perpetrator of the 2024 attack that left three young girls dead. The statutory inquiry, chaired by Sir Adrian Fulford, will investigate how services responded before and after the incident and what lessons must be learned to prevent future tragedies.

Announced by the Home Secretary in January 2025, the inquiry was established to understand how a young man with a known history of violence was able to carry out the attack in Southport. It will also examine how local services and agencies made decisions, managed risk and shared information.

Sir Adrian, a retired Lord Justice of Appeal and former judge at the International Criminal Court, was appointed as chair following consultation with victims’ families. Meeting with those affected is expected to be his first priority.

The inquiry will be delivered in two phases. The first will focus on the perpetrator’s interactions with criminal justice, education, social care and healthcare systems prior to the attack. The second phase will address wider issues around children and young people becoming involved in serious violence.

“The brutal murder of three young girls: Bebe, Elsie and Alice in Southport was an unimaginable tragedy – we owe it to their families, and all those affected on that terrible day to quickly understand what went wrong, answer difficult questions and do everything in our power to prevent something like this from happening again.

“The Southport Inquiry will provide insights into any failings that allowed a young man with a previous history of violence, to commit this horrendous attack. Sir Adrian Fulford will bring a wealth of legal and criminal justice expertise to this role, and I am pleased he has agreed to chair the inquiry.”

Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary.

This follows a previous announcement by the Prime Minister that no institution should be shielded from scrutiny as part of efforts to fully understand the circumstances behind the Southport attack.

Emergency Services Times reported last year on the government’s plans to launch the inquiry, with a wider focus on how policing and other services handled a series of violent incidents during the summer of 2024. Read that story here.

In a related interview from August 2024, Merseyside’s Chief Fire Officer reflected on the emergency response in Southport and highlighted how learning from previous incidents shaped joint operations on the day. Read the interview here.