The government’s anti-terror programme, Prevent, is under fire after it failed to intervene in the case of and reportedly left as many as 1,600 violence-obsessed kids free to roam the streets.
Rudakubana,18, last year and despite repeated warnings about his growing obsession with extreme violence, Prevent concluded he posed no threat, allowing him to remain unsupervised.
– Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine.
He was sentenced to at least 52 years in prison but as he was 17 at the time of the murders.
Prevent first assessed Rudakubana in 2019 after teachers raised concerns about his fascination with school shootings and mass violence.
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Prevent failed to intervene in the case of Southport killer Axel Rudakubana. (Image: Merseyside Police)
However, counterterrorism officers dismissed his behaviour as an unusual interest in world news.
Even after Rudakubana attacked a classmate with a hockey stick and was caught carrying a knife, Prevent failed to escalate his case for further intervention.
According to , Prevent has also allowed 1,600 other teenagers with violent tendencies to walk free over the past four years.
Of the 1,830 young people referred to the scheme, only 228 were placed under full monitoring.
The Home Secretary, , has now called for “urgent reforms” following the missed opportunities to act in Rudakubana’s case.
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Elsie Dot Stancombe. (Image: Merseyside Police/PA Wire)
Bebe King. (Image: Merseyside Police/PA Wire)
Alice da Silva Aguiar. (Image: Merseyside Police/PA Wire)
Speaking to , Cooper said: “I am clear that urgent reforms are needed to Prevent. The programme’s work is vital to stopping extremists and preventing terrorism.
“But it missed three chances to intervene in the case of the Southport killer, and swift changes are needed.”
A Home Office review revealed that too much emphasis was placed on the absence of an ideological motive, while Rudakubana’s dangerous fixation on violence was overlooked.
Data also shows that referrals to Prevent involving school massacre obsessions are on the rise, with many cases linked to young people showing no clear ideological agenda.
A source familiar with the review told The Sun: “He was constantly trying to speak to his teachers about world events.
“He was looking at news articles about mass shootings during IT class and trying to speak to his teacher about it. It was odd behaviour for a child so young.”
Prevent officials insist changes have been implemented since Rudakubana’s case, including better training and stronger policies for repeat referrals.
However, critics argue the programme still struggles to handle cases involving young people fixated on violence without a clear ideological framework.
A full public inquiry is now underway to determine how the system failed and what measures are needed to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Express.co.uk has contacted Prevent for comment.