Public inquiry into the July knife attack at a Southport dance class resumes at Liverpool Town Hall on Monday. Three girls—Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Bebe King, six; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven—were killed when Axel Rudakubana targeted the Taylor Swift-themed class. The 18-year-old was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years and also attempted to murder ten others, eight of them children.

Solicitor Christopher Walker, director of serious injury at Bond Turner, said the families hope the inquiry will leave no stone unturned in establishing the facts and driving change. He noted that the attack was preventable and stressed the need to understand how and why it happened. He added that the process will be traumatic for those involved and that the families are determined to ensure the truth is uncovered to help prevent a recurrence. He said: “leave no stone unturned”.

Impact statements from families of surviving children, who cannot be named, along with statements from dance teachers Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle and from businessman Jonathan Hayes, who was stabbed after leaving his office, are due to be heard this week. Chairman Sir Adrian Fulford described the incident in strong terms in his opening statement. The first phase will also review Rudakubana’s prior knife incidents and three referrals to the Government’s Prevent programme, and will examine his dealings with the criminal justice system, his education, and his engagement with social and health services and his family. A second phase is expected to address risks posed by young people with a fixation on extreme violence.