Parents of Southport killer could face criminal charges
Three little girls were killed at a dance class in July 2024
The parents of the Southport killer could face criminal charges, as police confirm they have asked to see transcripts of statements they made to the public inquiry into the attack.
Three little girls, Elsie Stancombe, Bebe King and Alice da Silva Aguiar, were killed when a teenager targeted a dance class in July 2024.
Detectives have previously looked at bringing criminal charges against anyone who failed to stop the atrocity.
But in June 2025, the force said no new charges would be brought "at this stage" because the evidence available was not strong enough to secure a conviction.
Merseyside Police have now asked for full transcripts of statements given to the public inquiry by AR's parents, Alphonse R and Laetitia Muzayire.
Alphonse R admitted he knew his son had ordered a machete to the family home around a year before the attack, but hadn't reported him to police.
He said he did not believe the Cardiff-born teenager would carry out an attack.
Both he and AR's mother apologised to the families of the three murdered girls, admitting they wished they had done more to prevent the attack.
Following their evidence, the three families released a joint statement calling for AR's parents to be held "accountable".
Elsie's parents Jenni and David Stancombe, said the inquiry had shown "in painful detail" missed opportunities and failings that led to their daughter's death.
They said the statements from the killer's parents had only added to their "unbearable pain" and they believed Alphonse Rudakubana and Laetitia Muzayire should be held to account for "what they allowed to happen".
They added: "Parents should be culpable when they knowingly allow such evil to exist unchecked under their own roof, when they know what their child is capable of and choose to do nothing.
"The values of our society depend on each of us taking responsibility. They chose not to, and because of that, we no longer have the chance to watch our kind, loving, beautiful little girl, who didn't even know what bad was, grow up. Because of him, and because of them."
A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: "We will obtain full transcripts from the inquiry and assess whether new information was provided that wasn’t known.
"A file wasn’t submitted to the CPS because the evidence held at that time didn’t pass the police threshold meaning there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of a conviction for any offence."