Police officer warned there was 'potential for huge escalation' by Southport killer FIVE YEARS before attack

Childline alerted the National Crime Agency, which then told police.

A transcript of the call from Childline read: "It's a young person, he is saying that they repeatedly bullied him at school.

"They’ve taken a knife into school before and will use it if that person gets really annoyed with them.

"When they see that person, they want to kill them and become more angry when they get pushed around by that person.”

PC McNamee visited Rudakubana’s home on October 7, 2019.

He initially spoke with the killer's mother, who "almost immediately called AR (Axel Rudakubana) down and went into the living room".

The inquiry heard how his mother told police she had taken the knife from Rudakubana and locked away others that were in the home.

PC McNamee said: "She mentioned he was suspected of potentially having autism.

"I think it was a case of he was looking to be assessed for it rather than currently under assessment."

The officer discussed the call Rudakubana had made to Childline and he accepted taking a knife into school though he was "initially flippant and dismissive about it" and said he had "done it about 10 times", the inquiry was told.

The then-schoolboy told PC McNamee he "believed he would use [the knife] when he got angry at the bullying".

The policeman agreed that Rudakubana had both the means and intention to carry out a murder.

"He became tearful but he still had this feeling he was being bullied and was victim of injustice at school," PC McNamee told the inquiry.

"I felt the immediate risk had been lowered by our actions but longer term it is difficult to say."

After around 20 minutes, police left the house and PC McNamee contacted Rudakubana's school and wrote up a report which was automatically sent to a "multi-agency safeguarding hub".

In his report, the police officer wrote "risk rating: high", adding: "Axel has been bullied at school and has taken a knife to school.

"Though he hasn’t used it or got it out of his bag this shows potential for huge escalation.

"While Axel did appear to understand the severity of the offence and potential repercussions, the risk is high that he could again take a knife to school.

"Axel definitely needs support around the bullying issue but also intervention around carrying knives.

"He does have friends, but I believe feels isolated and targeted as the bully only goes for him.

"The fact that he has told Childline and police that he believes he may use the knife in a bullying situation is obviously cause for serious concern.”

But the next morning when staff at the school spoke to Rudakubana, he said he would "use [the knife] to stab someone".

He was eventually expelled from Range High School in Formby, Liverpool.

PC McNamee had received an email from Rudakubana's father on October 28, 2019, requesting he attend a meeting at the school over his "permanent exclusion".

The email read: "It seems to us he has become a victim again. As the logic can tell, Axel knew that what he was doing was wrong but he also knew that the school was relaxed about fighting, intimidation — a real gang culture among students in the school.

"He deserves credit to have reported himself to carry a knife and with it a second chance to stay at the school if he wishes to. He is a good boy. I know him.”

John Goss, counsel to the inquiry, said: "You’ve also got in the email from AR’s father frankly an almost justification for what AR had been doing, haven’t you?

"It doesn’t look like AR’s father is taking this as seriously as you perhaps hoped he would have done on October 7.”

PC McNamee replied to the email saying: "Unfortunately, I am not in a position to be able to attend the school with you and certainly not as an advocate for Axel.

“Axel admitted to committing a criminal offence multiple times - carrying a knife at school. When talking to him he said several times to us that he would have used it on the male in question due to ‘bullying’. This is completely unacceptable.

“This kind of response presents a risk of horrific escalation and quite frankly, though Axel admitted to doing it, he did not seem to fully understand the possible repercussions, nor show any remorse.”

Rudakubana is serving a minimum 52-year sentence for the murders of Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine.

He was 17-years-old when he carried out the knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29, 2024.

The killer earlier admitted to their murders as well as the attempted murder of eight other children, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.

He also admitted to the production of a biological toxin, ricin, on or before July 29 and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.