The teenage killer of three girls who he stabbed to death during a dance class in Southport called Childline almost five years earlier with a chilling question.

Axel Rudakubana called the charity - set up to support children - and asked: “What should I do if I want to kill somebody?” The call took place in October 2019 prosecutors told his court hearing today. He is being sentenced for the murder of three young girls - Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.

Rudakubana also faces sentencing after finally admitting the attempted murder of eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes. He also admitted to possessing a knife on the date of the killings, which he bought off Amazon, production of a biological toxin, ricin, on or before July 29, and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.

During today's hearing he has been removed from the dock twice for shouting out, but is set to be brought back in just before his jail term is announced. The court was shown CCTV showing the moment children start screaming and running from the Hart Space. People started crying and covering their ears in court, as couples cuddled each other in the public gallery.

The CCTV then showed the moment Ms Lucas, who was injured, ushered children away from the scene as Alice Da Silva Aguir, also injured, stumbled into the car park and tried to get into someone's car to escape. Another clip showed fellow dance teacher Heidi Liddle opening the door to the toilet cubicle that she had barricaded herself into with one of the children to protect them from Rudakubana.

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The court heard Elsie Dot Stancombe and Bebe King were pronounced dead at the scene. In the opinion of the pathologist, their injuries were untreatable "however quickly emergency help arrived," Ms Heer said. Alice Da Silva Aguiar was assessed by a paramedic at the scene, but died of her injuries. The court heard that other injured children were taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition.

The hearing continues.