Alder Hey Children's Hospital has disclosed that Axel Rudakubana, the Southport murderer, was under its mental health services' care from 2019 until he ceased engagement in February 2023, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.

On Thursday, the 18-year-old was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years for the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, along with the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults at Hart Space in Southport last July.

Rudakubana's unexpected guilty pleas earlier this week have led to revelations regarding his prior contact with various services and raised questions concerning potential missed opportunities to intervene.

He had been referred to the government anti-extremism programme Prevent three times due to troubling behavior and online research into terror attacks. However, details about his engagement with NHS mental health services remained limited.

In response to inquiries about Rudakubana's mental health care, Alder Hey Children's Hospital Trust confirmed the nature and duration of his treatment under its Child and Adolescent Mental Health services.

The Trust released an initial statement, expressing willingness to cooperate with a forthcoming independent public inquiry: "It would not be appropriate for us to make any further comment at this time."

During a subsequent press conference, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Winstanley of Lancashire Police addressed questions about Rudakubana's NHS mental health assessments, clarifying the role of health services within the inquiry framework.

Today, Alder Hey Children's Hospital Trust reiterated that Rudakubana was under their care, stating: "Our thoughts remain with the families of Alice, Bebe, and Elsie and all those affected by the events of July 29. We can confirm that Axel Rudakubana was under the care of Alder Hey Services including our Community Mental Health Service between 2019 and 2023. He had stopped engaging with the service in February 2023 despite continued offers of support."

The spokesperson added, "Following the terrible incident last July, we are participating fully in a Children's Safeguarding Practice Review commissioned by the Children's Safeguarding Partnership, to identify if any learnings could be made. We welcome the announcement of an independent public inquiry and will fully co-operate and support that process, refraining from providing further details that could prejudice the inquiry."