Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said:
On 29th July 2024 Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King lost their lives in a senseless and abhorrent attack.
Today myself, and everybody at Counter Terrorism Policing is thinking about the victims, families, and wider community affected. They have shown great strength and courage throughout this process.
Elsie, Alice and Bebe deserved to live their young lives free of fear. They, those who were injured, and the people of Southport also expected that they would be safe that summer. Tragically, that was not the case.
The Chair has outlined in his report today, there were fundamental failures by multiple agencies.
It is with my deepest regret that Counter Terrorism Policing contributed to the collective failure to manage the perpetrator’s risk.
Following the tragic incident, Counter Terrorism Policing has not waited to act upon the urgent change needed to how we work and how we work with others. But there is still more to be done.
We will continue with our unwavering determination to work with other partners to deliver critical change to ensure the right parts of the system are doing the right things to keep people safe.
I would like to thank Sir Adrian Fulford, and his team, for their comprehensive work and scrutiny throughout phase one of the inquiry. We will continue to support them as we move into the second phase.
We will now review every facet of the report and respond to the recommendations for the Prevent programme alongside the Home Office.
All those affected have rightly demanded answers and accountability, and I hope today’s report has gone some way to providing that.
They have also been clear that the inquiry must instigate change that will strengthen the systems that are meant to keep us all safe.
Counter Terrorism Policing is committed to driving the necessary change, both now and in the future.