A psychiatrist involved in the case of Axel Rudakubana, known as the Southport monster, has accused his parents of providing misleading information about his violent history when he was referred for mental health treatment.
Dr. Anthony Molyneux revealed that although he knew Rudakubana had brought a knife to school, crucial details about his previous violent behaviors were not disclosed in his medical records. This lack of information led Dr. Molyneux to assess the teenager’s risk to others as minimal, ultimately resulting in his discharge just a week before he carried out a fatal knife attack on a group of young girls during a dance class.
During a public inquiry into the incident, Dr. Molyneux, who was responsible for Rudakubana’s care from July 2022, expressed his belief that the teenager’s parents, Alphonse Rudakubana and Laetitia Muzayire, had intentionally manipulated the information presented to medical professionals in an unprecedented manner. He highlighted that this orchestrated manipulation created a significant blind spot in his risk assessment process.
Furthermore, Dr. Molyneux was unaware of several alarming incidents involving Rudakubana, such as his interest in researching terrorist attacks, making threatening statements, and being found carrying a knife on public transportation. The psychiatrist also admitted that Rudakubana had a history of violent behavior, including an assault on a fellow student with a hockey stick.
Despite prescribing two types of antidepressants to Rudakubana, the inquiry revealed that he did not adhere to the medication regimen. Dr. Molyneux acknowledged that standard procedures required clinicians to review the complete patient record at each appointment to identify potential risks, but he claimed that due to the volume of information, it was impractical to thoroughly review every detail.
In his defense, Dr. Molyneux stated that he and his organization had diligently fulfilled their duties in assessing, treating, and supporting Rudakubana, going above and beyond standard protocols. However, he emphasized the existence of systemic gaps within mental health services that need to be addressed through a unified approach.
Rudakubana, now 19, is serving a lengthy prison sentence for the murders of three young girls and the attempted murder of others. The ongoing inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall continues to gather evidence from mental health professionals involved in Rudakubana’s case.