The Southport killer is being treated as a terrorist, the Government has confirmed, as a review identified a string of missed opportunities to spot his obsession with extremism.

The Prevent counter-terrorism scheme "prematurely" closed its case on Axel Rudakubana three years before he went on to murder three children in Southport, a government review has found.

Southport killer's Prevent case closed early due to spelling mistakes, report finds - Axel Rudakubana should have been referred to the next stage of the Prevent scheme, says Home Secretary

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana should have been treated as a terror threat after showing an interest in the Manchester arena attack, a Home Office review has found.

There was “sufficient risk” posed by Southport killer Axel Rudakubana to keep his cases within the Prevent programme active and these were “closed prematurely”, Home Office minister Dan Jarvis has said.

Rudakubana was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years – one of the highest minimum terms on record – for murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29 last year.

The Prevent counter-terrorism scheme "prematurely" closed its case on Axel Rudakubana three years before he went on to murder three children in Southport, a government review has found.

Axel Rudakubana’s referral to the UK counterterrorism scheme was closed prematurely, three years before he murdered three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, a review has found.

Leading counter-terrorism officer Matt Jukes called on the Government to make urgent changes were needed to avoid a repeat of Axel Rudakubana's horrific triple murder in Southport