Families of Southport attack await changes as inquiry phase two begins
Phase two will hold two weeks of seminar‑style hearings at the International Disputes Resolution Centre, examining the role of internet platforms and broader national safeguards.
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The second phase of the Southport Inquiry opened on 29 July 2026 at the International Disputes Resolution Centre in London. The inquiry will run for two weeks of seminar‑style hearings before continuing until December, according to the Standard.
What the hearings will examine
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The hearings will explore how violence‑fixated individuals are identified and managed, and will consider the influence of internet and social‑media platforms. The Standard reported that the chair, Sir Adrian Fulford, described the July 2024 mass stabbing as an incident that "could and should have been prevented" if public bodies and families had acted earlier.
Topics include psychiatry, psychology and philosophy of violent fixation, as well as the national coordination of preventative measures. Speakers scheduled for the first two days include Lord Anderson KC, who led the Prevent review, and Jonathan Hall KC, the government’s terror‑law watchdog.
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We need all of those companies to come to the table and share with the inquiry, completely transparently.
Nicola Ryan‑Donnelly, solicitor
Nicola Ryan‑Donnelly of Fletchers Solicitors, representing families of surviving children, told the Press Association that internet firms must provide evidence if the inquiry is to make robust recommendations. She said the families “fully appreciate that the issues and the problems that we saw in phase one were not localised problems”.
Ryan‑Donnelly added that without full cooperation the chair will lack the information needed to protect children in the future. The Standard quoted her as saying the families want a detailed national exercise so the chair can issue “really strong changes that are actually going to work”.
Impact on the affected families
The July 2024 attack at a Taylor Swift‑themed dance class in Southport claimed the lives of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven. Twenty‑three other children escaped the stabbing but continue to experience physical injuries and psychological trauma, the Standard reported.
Representatives for adult survivors, including Nicola Brook of Broudie Jackson Canter, said their clients remain committed to the inquiry despite the emotional strain. They hope the process will expose gaps in state programmes and lead to a failsafe system for dealing with violent fixated individuals.
What happens next
The inquiry will continue its seminar‑style sessions through December, after which Sir Adrian Fulford will issue a final report with recommendations for national policy and for how internet platforms should cooperate with future investigations. Families have been invited to submit further evidence during the remaining weeks.
Questions this report answers
+When does phase two of the Southport Inquiry start?
Phase two began on 29 July 2026 with two weeks of seminar‑style hearings in London, as reported by the Standard. The hearings will continue until December, after which a final report is expected.
+How many children died in the July 2024 Southport attack?
Three children died: Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Bebe King, six; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven. The Standard confirmed these deaths and noted that twenty‑three other children escaped but were injured.
+What do families want from internet companies during the inquiry?
Families, represented by solicitor Nicola Ryan‑Donnelly, want internet firms to provide full, transparent evidence to the inquiry. She said cooperation is essential for the chair to consider the situation and make effective recommendations.
+What topics will be covered in the phase two hearings?
The hearings will examine the psychology of violence‑fixated individuals, the role of internet and social‑media platforms, and broader national safeguards. Speakers include Lord Anderson KC and Jonathan Hall KC, according to the Standard.
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