A man who stabbed three people to death in a Reading park believed he was carrying out “an act of religious jihad”.

Khairi Saadallah, 26, stabbed to death James Furlong, 36, David Wails, 49, and Joseph Ritchie-Bennett, 39, during the attack in Forbury Gardens in June.

As part of his sentencing, a hearing will decide if he was motivated by a religious or ideological cause.

The prosecution claim the stabbing spree was a terror attack.

Saadallah has admitted three counts of murder and attempted murder, but denies he was motivated by an ideological cause.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan QC told the court he “executed” his victims and intended to “kill as many people as he could” in the name of violent jihad.

She said: “In less than a minute, shouting Allahu Akhbar the defendant carried out a lethal attack with a knife, killing all three men before they had a chance to respond and try to defend themselves.

“Within the same minute, the defendant went on to attack others nearby, stabbing three more people, Stephen Young, Patrick Edwards and Nishit Nisudan, causing them significant injuries.”

Stating the prosecution’s case she said the attack was “carefully planned and executed” by the defendant with “determination and precision”.

The defendant believed that in carrying out this attack he was acting in pursuit of his extreme ideology, an ideology he appears to have held for some time.

“He believed that in killing as many people as possible that day he was performing an act of religious jihad.”