Southport Inquiry impact hearings begin
15 September 2025
Garden Court North’s Pete Weatherby KC and Christian Weaver represent the three adult survivors and Prestfield High School, respectively. Credit: Andrew Brown / Stand Up For Southport.
Impact hearings for the Southport Inquiry continued throughout last week (8 September 2025), in advance of the Inquiry starting to examine the circumstances surrounding and events leading up to the brutal knife attack at a children’s Taylor Swift dance event in Southport on 29 July 2024, and whether it could and should have been prevented, given the extent of knowledge of various state agencies.
The attacker murdered three young girls, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King, and injured multiple other children and adults. Whilst others survived the attack physically unharmed, they all live with the serious emotional scars.
Garden Court North’s Pete Weatherby KC represents the three adult survivors of the attack, leading Jesse Nicholls of Matrix Chambers, instructed by Nicola Brook of BJC Solicitors, and Christian Weaver, instructed by Terry Wilcox of Hudgells Solicitors, represents Prestfeld High School.
At Liverpool Town Hall last Monday (8 September), Inquiry Chairman Sir Adrian Fulford listened to witness accounts of the attack, including that of John Hayes, who was stabbed when he bravely confronted the attacker, suffering life-threatening injuries.
On 10 September, the Inquiry heard from Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle, the dance teachers who ran the event. Ms Lucas recalled how she was stabbed multiple times and nearly died as she and Ms Liddle attempted to get the children out and called the police.
The Inquiry will primarily examine whether there were missed opportunities to prevent the attack, and what recommendations should be made to prevent future attacks.
Pete’s opening submission will take place on Wednesday (17 September).
The Phase 1 Inquiry hearings are expected to run until November 2025.
Pete represents the three adult survivors, leading Jesse Nicholls of Matrix Chambers and instructed by Nicola Brook of Broudie Jackson Canter.
Christian represents Prestfield High School, instructed by Terry Wilcox of Hudgell Solicitors.
For further information, please contact Alex Blair, Communications Manager at Garden Court North Chambers: ablair@gcnchambers.co.uk
