An investigation has revealed that there was an eight-month delay in the autism assessment of Axel Rudakubana, a convicted killer from Southport. Despite urgent pleas from a teacher to the NHS due to serious safeguarding concerns, Rudakubana had to wait 45 weeks for his assessment after being referred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in November 2019.
Lynsey Boggan, the clinical lead of neurodevelopmental services at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, stated that the typical waiting time for such assessments is only 11 weeks. The deputy head teacher of the school Rudakubana attended, Joanne Hodson, had raised alarm bells about his behavior, including incidents involving online searches for school shootings and fixation on a classmate.
Rudakubana was eventually diagnosed as autistic in December 2020 and recommended for an ADHD assessment. The inquiry also revealed that an assessment by the forensic child and adolescent mental health service was not conducted as they were awaiting the result of the autism referral, highlighting potential communication issues within the healthcare system.
Rudakubana is currently serving a 52-year life sentence for a violent attack on a group of young girls during a dance class. The ongoing inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall aims to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the delays in Rudakubana’s assessment and the subsequent tragic events.