We earlier heard from the Crown Prosecution Service's Ursula Doyle, who said Rudakubana had a "sickening and sustained interest in death and violence".

She said the attacks in Southport were a "meticulously planned rampage":

Further to our previous report from Judith Moritz, the PA News agency says Axel Rudakubana tried to return to a school that expelled him a week before the Southport killings - but his dad stopped him.

According to PA, teachers had concerns about Axel Rudakubana's behaviour from year nine, when he was aged 13.

He was excluded from Range High School in Formby around 2019. He had told Childline he was being racially bullied, and he took a knife to school to protect himself.

But after he was excluded, he returned to the school and attacked someone with a hockey stick - with the target intended to be a former bully or someone he had a grievance with.

And then a week before the Southport attack, he booked a taxi to take him back to Range High School, but his father stopped him from leaving, PA says.

After he was expelled from Range, Rudakubana attended two specialist schools - one where PA says his attendance was less than 1% and teachers continued to be concerned about his behaviour.

As we've been reporting, Axel Rudakubana, 18, has pleaded guilty to murdering three girls in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last year. He will be sentenced on Thursday.

BBC reporter Judith Moritz gives an overview of what we know about the killer - including Rudakubana's history of violence, his expulsion from school, and police visits to his home before the attacks.

Jonny Humphries
Reporting from Liverpool Crown Court

Axel Rudakubana's decision to plead guilty at the last possible moment could have come a lot earlier in this process.

In the final pre-trial hearing, when not guilty pleas were entered on behalf of the silent Rudakubana, his defence team said no "positive defence" would have been advanced at a trial.

Stan Reisz KC, defending, said no mental health experts would be called to give evidence - putting paid to any suggestion Radukabana would try to claim his responsibility was diminished by way of mental illness.

Those details could not be reported at the time to prevent prejudice to the trial – the defendant could have changed his mind and thought would have needed to have been given to how that position was explained to the jury.

Had the trial progressed the prosecution would simply have had to present enough evidence to prove its case – without significant challenge.

The families, late in the day, have at least been spared that punishing ordeal.

Erica Witherington
Reporting from Liverpool Crown Court

Some answers may have emerged from the trial – or they may not. Now, after Axel Rudakubana's guilty pleas this morning, there will be no trial.

The prosecution never had to come up with a motive to prove Rudakubana guilty of going on a murderous rampage last summer. And now they don’t have to lay out their case at all.

Speaking just now, the CPS have said that is a mercy - the families at the heart of this case have been spared the pain of "having to relive their ordeal through a trial", Ursula Doyle said.

So what of Rudakubana's motives?

The CPS said he was a young man with a "sickening and sustained interest in death and violence" - and one that has shown "no remorse".

Merseyside Police have just released a custody photo of Axel Rudakubana:

Doyle ends her short statement by saying: "Our thoughts are with all those whose lives were altered by what happened on that day".

She goes on: "Most of all we think of the three beautiful young girls whose lives were cut short and we wish strength and courage to their families who loved and cherished them."

Doyle says the prosecution was determined to prove Rudakubana's guilt.

She adds: "I'm deeply grateful that today's pleas have spared the families at the heart of the case the pain of having to relive their the ordeal through a trial."

Doyle goes on to talk about the day of the attack itself. She says it took place at the start of the school holidays, a day "which should have been one of carefree innocence".

Instead, she says, it became a scene "of the darkest horror as Axel Rudakubana carried out his meticulously planned rampage".

"It is clear this was a young man with a sickening and sustained interest in death and violence - he's shown no signs of remorse," she says.

We're now hearing a statement from CPS prosecutor Ursula Doyle outside court. She says Rudakubana pleaded guilty to murdering three and the attempted murder of ten others.

"This was an unspeakable attack, one that has left an enduring mark on our community and the nation for its savagery and senselessness," she says.

Daniel Sandford
Home affairs correspondent

Axel Rudakubana was referred a number of times to the government’s counter-extremism Prevent scheme because of concerns about his obsession with violence.

This was not because of worries about any particular ideology such as Islamism, or racial or religious hatred.

The concern was that he seemed to be actively seeking information about violence.

We're expecting a statement soon from the Crown Prosecution Service, following Axel Rudakubana pleading guilty to murdering three girls at a dance class in Southport on 29 July.

As a reminder, Rudakubana's plea was unexpected - a four-week trial was due to start this week, but instead he will be sentenced on Thursday.

We'll bring you the key lines, so stay with us - and you'll be able to watch live at the top of the page.

Axel Muganwa Rudakubana just pleaded guilty to the murder of three girls, the attempted murder of 10 more people, and three other charges - including possessing Al-Qaeda material.

The 18-year-old was 17 at the time of the attacks. He lived in Banks in Lancashire, near Southport, and was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents in 2006. He moved to the Southport area in 2013.

Rudakubana was not named following the attacks due to his age, but last year Judge Andrew Menary KC ruled ruled his name could be made public following applications from the media, shortly before he turned 18.

In August, the court heard Rudakubana had an "autism spectrum disorder diagnosis" and had been "unwilling to leave the house and communicate with family for a period of time".

Image source, Helen Tipper

Jonny Humphries
Reporting from court

For the first few moments after the courtroom was assembled today, it seemed as if we would hear more of the same from Rudakubana - nothing.

When the court clerk asked him to confirm his name, he did not respond as he hadn’t done at several pre-trial hearings.

Trial judge Justice Goose asked the dock officers either side of the teenager if they could hear, which they confirmed.

The clerk then asked a second time for Rudakubana to confirm his identity.

When he again failed to respond, his barrister, Stan Reisz KC, rose to his feet and asked if he could approach the dock.

A few moments later, Reisz told the court that there was no argument over his client’s identity.

Those of us observing proceedings, both in the courtroom and over a video-link, were fully expecting the practical process of getting a jury together to begin.

But Reisz spoke again and asked for the indictment - the list of charges he faced - to be read again.

In court that usually means one thing - the defendant is changing his pleas.

Indeed, this time we heard from Rudakubana, as he repeated one word 16 times - guilty.

Southport MP Patrick Hurley tells BBC Radio 5 Live "there is surprise and shock" at the unexpected guilty plea of Axel Rudakubana this morning.

"We are all hoping the families get the outcome and justice they need."

Hurley says he's pleased the victims’ families won't have to sit through the "mental torture" of a lengthy trial.

"This isn't a day for celebration - it is a day to make sure we remember the victims."

Image source, EPA

Speaking in court, Justice Goose said he was "conscious of the fact the families are not here today".

Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, said the families had not attended as it was assumed the trial would open fully on Tuesday.

Justice Goose said he extended his apologies to the families that "for that reason they weren't here to hear him enter his pleas".

The prosecution barrister said she would speak to them before the sentencing on Thursday.

More now from what happened in court as Rudakubana changed his pleas.

He kept his head down towards his knees as the judge said to him: "You have now pleaded guilty to this indictment and to each of the charges upon it.

"The next stage is sentence. That will take place on Thursday at 11am."

The judge, Justice Goose, added: "You will understand it is inevitable the sentence to be imposed upon you will mean a life sentence equivalent will be imposed upon you.

"I will have to complete the sentencing process on that on that occasion."

• Murder of three girls on 29 July 2024: Alice da Silva Aguiar, aged nine; Bebe King, aged six; and and Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven
• Attempted murder of 10 people on the same day. They include eight children, who cannot be named, and two adult victims - class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes
• Possession of a knife on the day of the stabbings, 29 July 2024
• Production of a biological toxin, ricin, a deadly poison, on or before 29 July
• A terror offence - possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism. This relates to a PDF file entitled Military Studies In The Jihad Against The Tyrants, The Al Qaeda Training Manual which he is said to have possessed between 29 August 2021 and 30 July 2024

The ricin and the al-Qaeda document were found during searches of his home where he lived with his parents, after the attack.

Rudakubana was 17 at the time of the attack. Until now, he has refused to speak at his court appearances.

At a court hearing in December last year, not guilty pleas were entered on his behalf for the charges of murder and attempted murder.

Charges of producing the biological toxin ricin and possessing terrorist material were also put to him but, again, he did not respond and not guilty pleas were entered.

His trial was due to start today, lasting four weeks. But as it began he changed his pleas - meaning there will be no trial, and he will be sentenced on Thursday.

Image source, Julia Quenzler / BBC

Judith Moritz
Reporting from court

Axel Rudakubana sat down with his face covered with a PPE Covid mask.

He refused to stand or speak his name.

He answered very quietly and muffled - saying "guilty" to each count.