'Being scared of racism causes walking time bombs!' Ex-police officer says 'lessons must be learnt' from Southport murders

The teenager further admitted charges of possessing a knife he bought from Amazon and producing ricin, a deadly biological toxin found at his home.

Documents about Nazi Germany, the Rwandan genocide and car bombs were also found on his devices.

Speaking to GB News, retired police officer Norman Brennan said: "How often have we heard, and I've been in policing and law and order for 46 years, that lessons must be learned.

"I think one of the biggest problems in Britain at the moment is that people are too frightened to intervene, sometimes because of the ethnicity of the person that they are concerned about.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• 'Failings under your watch!' Ellie Costello furiously grills Tory MP on Southport murders
• Labour MP defends CPS as police claim they were 'gagged' over Axel Rudakubana case
• 'These men are not alone': Expert issues chilling cyber warning to Britain after Axel Rudakubana

"They think that if they put that particular person forward, they'll be accused of racism.

"Well, if that's the case, it means that individuals such as this young man are walking time bombs and we can't have walking time bombs going around.

"We've had 160,000 children and young adults last year carrying knives. Each and every single one potentially could lose their life or take somebody else's.

"Nobody ever knows when or if you're going to get involved in an altercation. But in this particular young man's case, how is it that a 17 year old child had carried a knife ten times? No one intervened. No one highlighted it."

Until Monday's hearing, Rudakubana had remained silent during court appearances, with High Court judge Mr Justice Goose having previously entered not guilty pleas on his behalf.

Justice Goose told Rudakubana following his conviction: "You will understand that it is inevitable that a life sentence will be imposed upon you."

The teenager further admitted charges of possessing a knife he bought from Amazon and producing ricin, a deadly biological toxin.

Police discovered a PDF file entitled "Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual" during searches of his residence in Banks, West Lancashire.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced an inquiry into how Rudakubana "came to be so dangerous" and why Prevent "failed to identify the terrible risk" he posed.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned Britain faces a new terrorism threat from "extreme violence carried out by loners, misfits, young men in their bedrooms."