in Sham Shui Po 2 years ago as he wanted to be sentenced to death.

The murder attempts saw Liu Yueteng, then a student, stab Lam King-king, Wu Bodi, Liu Wenlian and Zhang Xuandi in Garden Hill on October 11, 2019, with a 20-centimeter fruit knife during their morning exercise.

Liu arrived on a two-way permit on October 1, 2019. He bought the knife two days later to commit suicide but, after failing to do so, had hoped to receive the death penalty for killing people.

But Liu, who had visited Garden Hill several times, said killing other people was even harder than suicide.

He fled back home to turn himself in after stabbing the women, aged 50 to 57, in the belief that he could be sentenced to death for killing them as there is no death sentence in Hong Kong. But mainland police told him he couldn't as the crimes were committed in Hong Kong.

Judge Esther Toh Lye-ping adjourned the case to June 6 for mitigation and sentence.

Lam had noticed Liu hovering nearby for almost an hour before being stabbed three times on her back and neck at around 10am.

The other three women tried to flee upon seeing the stabbing but were still attacked, suffering injuries to their neck, back, chest and abdomen.

All four were sent to hospital, with Zhang needing intensive care.

Lam, who was suffering from anxiety disorder, was found to have paranoia and post-traumatic stress disorder after the attack, the court heard.

Liu returned on October 13 through Shenzhen Bay Port, where he was arrested. He told officers he had planned to be arrested at the crime scene after the stabbing, but fled by a taxi because he was too scared.

He did not know the victims and had picked the four women at random.