An investigation revealed that the assessment for autism of Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana was postponed for eight months, despite urgent pleas from a teacher to the NHS over serious safety concerns. Before being referred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital for diagnosis, Rudakubana’s deputy headteacher informed healthcare professionals that he had been researching school shootings online.
The inquiry disclosed that Rudakubana had to wait 45 weeks from the referral in November 2019 for his assessment, a significant delay compared to the typical 11-week wait time for such evaluations, according to Lynsey Boggan, the clinical lead at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.
Joanne Hodson, deputy head teacher at Acorns School, where Rudakubana was a student, had expressed worries to the pediatric service regarding his behavior. She described incidents where Rudakubana showed concerning behavior, including fixating on another student whom he claimed was bullying him, despite no evidence supporting this. Additionally, he was found searching for information on school shootings in America during an ICT lesson, raising further red flags.
Although Rudakubana was eventually diagnosed with autism in December 2020 and recommended for an ADHD assessment, the inquiry revealed a lack of communication between services. A forensic assessment by the child and adolescent mental health service was delayed due to the ongoing autism referral, with crucial information not being shared between departments.
Rudakubana is currently serving a 52-year life sentence for a violent knife attack on a group of young girls in a dance class. The investigation into the handling of his case continues at Liverpool Town Hall.
