Merseyside’s police chief wanted to dispel misinformation in the immediate aftermath of the Southport murders by releasing information over Axel Rudakubana’s religion but was told not to by local crown prosecutors.
Chief constable Serena Kennedy told MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee that she planned to include the detail in a press release and conference being held on July 31, when the force announced Rudakubana, then unnamed, had been charged.
At the time, the police chief was aware of disinformation claiming the suspect in custody to be an asylum seeker and there had been a rise in hate crimes against the Muslim community, she told MPs.
Before the late night press conference, Chief Constable Kennedy said she had a 90-minute discussion with the deputy branch crown prosecutor and their local communications team for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) who were “very unhappy” at the suggestion to include his religion, and based on that advice, did not disclose it to the public.
Axel Rudakubana received a 52-year sentence for murdering three girls (Merseyside Police/PA)
The national CPS had also been contacted for guidance, but the police chief revealed she became aware after the press conference that they had replied to say they were happy for Rudakubana’s religion to be released.
She told the committee: “We knew some of the disinformation that was out there about the suspect’s religion, and that was having an impact on our Muslim communities, and I wanted to try and dispel that disinformation that was out there.
“It was very, very clear within that 90 minute conversation that the Crown Prosecution Service locally were very unhappy at our suggestion of including that so based on that advice, we didn’t include the suspect’s religion in my press statement that I did at about midnight that evening, and we didn’t include it in the press release that went out.”
But she added: “I’m subsequently aware that national CPS did email back into our Merseyside Police’s comms team at half past 11 to say that they were happy for us to include the religion, but we, by that time, we were downstairs and we were preparing for the press conference so that actually wasn’t seen by ourselves.”
Asked if she felt there was not a consistent approach between national and local CPS, the chief constable said she was taking direction from the deputy crown prosecutor who was “very clear” about her priority around getting justice, adding: “And right throughout I have not wanted to do anything that would compromise that justice.”
Rudakubana was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years – one of the highest minimum terms on record – for murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29 last year.
Rudakubana murdered Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class at the Hart Space in Southport last July (Handout/PA)
The 18-year-old also attempted to murder eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as well as class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.
In the hours after the attack, incorrect details about the suspect, claiming he was an asylum seeker, circulated online.
Violent disorder erupted across the country after the stabbings, with mosques and hotels used to house asylum seekers among the locations targeted.
Asked by MPs if she thought sharing more information about the suspect, in a way she could not, may have prevented the disorder from escalating, the police boss said “it’s really difficult to say that”, but added that the media protocol in place is 19 years old.
“In terms of where we are, in terms of social media channels, the use of social media, we know during that time there was about 900,000 users using Telegram. Telegram wasn’t even a thing back 19 years ago.
“I think this case really highlights why we need to look at how we handle releases of information to the public, whilst also making sure that we don’t impact on the criminal justice trial.”
On wanting to release more information specifically relating to Rudakubana’s religion, the chief constable described that in that period police would get 130 hate crimes in Merseyside, but in that week it went up to 170.
“We know the impact it had, both locally on our Muslim communities and nationally,” she said.
“And I wanted to be able to get out that point, at that time, you know, there was no suggestion that the suspect in custody, was from that Muslim faith, but I was unable to say that at that time.”
The police boss also said how the force and CPS worked “really closely” both locally and nationally from July 29 on statements, publications, planning for charges, trial and for the sentencing, and to make sure that “everybody is comfortable”, and following a family-focused approach.