The Southport Inquiry is examining the circumstances of the stabbings
More people suspected of having a fixation with violence are being referred to the government's anti-terror programme following the Southport attack, an inquiry into the murders has been told.
Axel Rudakubana killed Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and attempted to murder 10 others at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on 29 July last year.
Cathryn Ellsmore, director of the Home Office's Prevent programme said: "What we have seen post the Southport attack is a sharp increase in referrals to Prevent where there are concerns about violent fixation."
She was giving evidence at the Southport Inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall, which is examining the circumstances of the atrocity.
Ms Ellsmore said she was not sure whether this increase was due to partner agencies making referrals because their "risk tolerance" had fallen since the stabbings, or whether there had been a "previous underestimate of the cohort".
"It is difficult to assess," she told the inquiry.
"I am pleased we are getting this increase and we have taken steps to ensure these cases do receive multi-agency case consideration."
Rudakubana had been referred to Prevent three times but the inquiry has heard that he did not meet the threshold for further intervention.
Image source, PA Media Image caption,The inquiry is examining the circumstances of the Southport attack
Nicholas Moss KC, lead counsel to the inquiry, later said that before the stabbings Rudakubana was not individually known to the Home Office.
Cathryn Ellsmore, director of the government's Prevent programme, said this was not surprising as "we have no access to Prevent referrals or case management and don't have a need for that access either".
The inquiry heard a first referral to Prevent made by the attacker's school was in December 2019.
Ms Ellsmore said Prevent's main objective was to tackle the causes of radicalisation and respond to ideological challenges of terrorism, by "safeguarding and supporting those most risk of radicalisation through early intervention, identifying them and offering support".
Mr Moss asked Ms Ellsmore whether MI5 was involved in the teenager's case.
She said an assessment review was carried out by the Joint Assessment Team - a committee of counter terror police and MI5 officers - following the first referral to Prevent.
This found enough support was already in place and a multi-agency safeguarding programme known as Channel was recommended to monitor management of the killer's vulnerabilities moving forward, she added.
The inquiry also heard MI5 provided input to Merseyside Police as part of the investigation into the Hart Street attack.
Ms Ellsmore said there was "clear inconsistency around the application of Prevent thresholds where referral cases do not have a clear ideology".
The inquiry continues.
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