Father of UK Killer Axel Rudakubana Reveals Son's Violent Past

The father of Axel Rudakubana, the teenager jailed for life for murdering three girls during a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, has testified about his son’s violent and unpredictable behavior leading up to the attack.

Axel, who was 17 at the time of the attack, carried out the killings last year, sparking some of the worst riots in Britain in decades. His father, Alphonse Rudakubana, told a UK inquiry that Axel had frequent violent outbursts and even threatened to kill him.

“He used to beat me up. If you get me out of here, it may take a day, it may take a week, maybe a month, maybe years, I will kill you and trust me I will kill you,” Alphonse said, recounting his son’s menacing threats.

Alphonse also spoke of the dramatic change in Axel’s personality over the years. “When he started school, he was a beautiful boy. By the time they sent him back to us, he was broken, disappointed, traumatised, changed completely beyond belief,” he said. He admitted to bearing some responsibility for his son’s behavior.

Axel had previously been expelled from secondary school in 2019 after admitting to carrying a knife. Following the expulsion, he attended a pupil referral unit for children excluded from mainstream schools. A teacher at the unit testified that Axel openly admitted he brought the knife to school intending to use it, a claim his father confirmed, saying the family was “anguished” and felt “shocked and ashamed.”

The inquiry also explored the family’s interactions with mental health services and the government’s Prevent program. Alphonse said he and his wife reported some of Axel’s violent incidents but did not alert authorities to all events out of fear that their son would be taken away. “I had no authority as a father,” he admitted, acknowledging the loss of control over Axel, including his online activity.

The inquiry, chaired by a retired senior judge, has the power to compel testimony, and its findings may shape future policy, though its recommendations are not legally binding.

The Southport stabbings, which left three young girls dead, remain a stark reminder of the consequences of unchecked youth violence and the importance of early intervention and mental health support.