The Southport murders have been described as “one of the most egregious crimes in our country’s history” as a public inquiry begins.

The inquiry will examine how the “deteriorating and deeply troubling behaviour” of Axel Rudakubana, who went on to “cause such devastation” on 29 July 2024, was dealt with by public bodies.

Alice Aguiar, nine; Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and six-year-old Bebe King died while eight other children and two adults were seriously wounded during the attacks at a dance studio in the Merseyside town.

The first live hearings have now begun at Liverpool Town Hall, chaired by retired senior judge Sir Adrian Fulford, who said he was committed to delivering “sensible and achievable” recommendations.

Sir Adrian told a council chamber packed with legal representatives, lawyers, the media and the public that “ordinary language simply fails to reflect the enormity of what [Rudakubana] did.

“None of the most powerful adjectives even begin to suffice.

“There are no words that adequately describe what occurred and I am not going to try, and then fail, to find them.”