Reading stabbings: Man admits knife murders of three victims

A man has admitted murdering three men during a knife rampage in a park in Reading.

Khairi Saadallah killed friends James Furlong, 36, David Wails, 49, and Joseph Ritchie-Bennett, 39, during the two-minute attack in Forbury Gardens in June.

At the Old Bailey, Saadallah, 26, also admitted three charges of attempted murder ahead of a scheduled trial.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan said the murders merited a whole-life sentence.

The prosecution case is that the murders were a terror attack.

But judge Mr Justice Sweeney said Saadallah had submitted a basis of plea, denying substantial preparation or planning and saying he was not motivated by an ideological cause.

He said a Newton hearing, which will start in the week of 7 December, was "essential" to decide whether Saadallah was motivated by a religious or ideological cause.

Members of the victims' families sat in court for the hearing as Saadallah, of Basingstoke Road in Reading, entered his guilty pleas while wearing a face mask.

The defendant, who is originally from Libya, launched his attack as people enjoyed a summer Saturday evening in Forbury Gardens on 20 June.

Eyewitnesses said he walked along a footpath when he suddenly ran towards a group of men sitting on the grass.

The attack was "without warning or provocation and in rapid succession", according to the case summary,

History teacher Mr Furlong and Mr Ritchie-Bennett, a US citizen, were both stabbed once in the neck, while scientist Mr Wails was stabbed in the back.

All three were pronounced dead at the scene.

Three others - their friend Stephen Young, as well as Patrick Edwards and Nishit Nisudan, who were sitting in a nearby group - were also injured by Saadallah.

Mr Young was stabbed in the head, Mr Edwards was stabbed in the back and Mr Nisudan suffered injuries to his face and hand.

The defendant then discarded the knife and ran out of the park before he was caught by police.

Witnesses were said to have heard him shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) and "victory on infidels".

Mr Furlong, who was head of history and government and politics at The Holt School in Wokingham, was described as by his parents as "beautiful, intelligent, honest and fun".

Mr Ritchie-Bennett's father Robert told US TV network CBS his son, who was originally from Philadelphia, was "brilliant and loving".

Mr Wails was described as "always happy" and a person who "always made people smile".

In the aftermath of the attack, security sources told the BBC that Saadallah was known to MI5 after coming to its attention in 2019.

But when the information was further investigated, no genuine threat or immediate risk was identified and no case file was opened.