Southport killer's bid to buy crossbow 'discreetly' at age 15

THE Southport attacker contacted two archery retailers asking for crossbows in "discreet" packaging.

- Eleanor Barlow

Axel Rudakubana, aged 15 at the time, also asked if he would need proof of age to receive the weapon, a public inquiry heard.

The 19-year-old is serving a 52-year life sentence for killing Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 last year.

He had sent emails to Tactical Archery and Merlin Archery just over two years before his attack, the Southport Inquiry heard on Wednesday.

Bradley Sutherland, director of MB Outdoors, which runs Tactical Archery, confirmed an email, signed "A", was received by the company on May 3, 2022.