The scale of the problem was only uncovered after Axel Rudakubana was found to have bought a machete
A black holdall seized from Axel Rudakubana’s home containing a black machete(Image: PA)
Around 2,800 unregistered and untracked parcels containing knives and machetes were sent by one company into the UK. Hunting & Knives, an online retailer which traded in the UK but was based in Spain, specialised in bladed items and used a Northern Ireland-based fulfilment company called SJ Henderson to help with shipping into the British Isles.
Hunting & Knives had a responsibility to ensure it had in place age verified delivery on all its products which contained a range of different knives under UK law. But the ongoing Southport Inquiry has heard the company, run by Juan Martinez, believed it the role of the Irish fulfilment company to ensure its products were labelled and that ID was provided on delivery.
The inquiry heard that SJ Henderson was not even aware of the products it was shipping to the UK. Parcels later went through a chain including “middleman” Whistl and delivery company Evri, who both said they would not be notified about what was in the parcels as the latter did not even offer an age verified service.
The result was 2,811 packages were sent by Hunting & Knives and delivered into the UK, “99.9% of which were bladed items”. All of the parcels should have been age verified, but none were. Lead counsel Nicholas Moss KC told the ongoing proceedings sitting at Liverpool Town Hall: “The inquiry cannot know how many of those more than 2,500 knives may have ended up in the hands of children.”
The scale of the issue was only brought into the light after Southport killer Axel Rudakubana managed to successfully place an order for a kukri Congo machete with a 30.5cm blade, which was delivered to his home address in Banks, Lancashire, in October 2023. The weapon was found in a black holdall in his bedroom when police searched his house after the attack on July 29 last year where he targeted women and girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party.
Rudakubana, who is only being referred to as AR in the proceedings, murdered Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and injured 10 other people when he burst into the event at the Hart Space in Southport.
Stephen Henderson, of Ruach Music and SJ Henderson Fulfilment(Image: Southport Inquiry)
Giving evidence on Wednesday, Stephen Henderson, CEO of SJ Henderson Fulfilment, told the inquiry that he did not know Ageo Wholesale, the parent company of Hunting & Knives, was using his firm to send blades. He accepted there were missed opportunities for him to find out more, telling the inquiry he was “shocked to find” an email which said Hunting & Knives “specialised in knives”.
Mr Henderson said: “My honest understanding [was] there was nothing to be cautious about due to the contract we held with them.” Asked by Mr Moss if he fell short of his responsibilities, Mr Henderson said: “Looking back, I would say I fell somewhat short.”
Mr Moss also asked Mr Henderson if he found it “very worrying” that the parcels which should have been labelled “18-plus only” had been delivered, to which he responded: “Absolutely and it’s why I’m here today.”
The inquiry heard Mr Henderson had a contract with logistics company Whistl, which contracted Evri to carry out the final delivery. Nigel Polglass, chief operating officer for Whistl, added it was “deeply concerning” that more than 2,500 bladed items had been dispatched.
The inquiry heard Whistl’s contract was with Ruach Music, another company owned by Mr Henderson, with Mr Polglass adding the former believed it was was handling “items linked to guitars”. Asked who he believes has responsibility for ensuring the dispatched goods were appropriate, Mr Polglass said Ruach Music.
Juan Martinez, of Hunting & Knives(Image: Southport Inquiry)
Mr Henderson said Whistl was aware he was also using them for his fulfilment company. Christopher Ashworth, chief customer officer of Evri, said the courier company did not offer age verified delivery services and was “wholly unaware” that the package it delivered contained a bladed item.
Mr Henderson said he had terminated the contract with Hunting & Knives when Irish customs intercepted a consignment containing knives, machetes and a pepperbox revolver, which Mr Martinez yesterday said was a replica.
The ongoing inquiry has heard in the years before he carried out the attack Rudakubana, now 19, amassed an arsenal of weapons including knives, bow and arrows and castor beans with the intention of making deadly poison ricin. He also ordered two other machetes but these were sent with age verified delivery so were intercepted by his dad, Alphonse.
Rudakubana was jailed for life with a minimum term of 52 years in January at Liverpool Crown Court, after admitting the “sadistic” murders and attempted murders.
Inquiry chair Sir Adrian Fulford previously said: “What occurred on that day has made it critically necessary, moreover, to identify all the changes that need to be implemented in order to ensure, as best as our society is able, that there is no repetition.”
The first phase of the inquiry, which is expected to run until November, continues.