Cambridge University graduates Jones, 23, and Merritt, 25, were attacked during a prisoner rehabilitation event at Fishmongers' Hall last Friday afternoon.

Convicted terrorist Usman Khan, 28, who was living in Stafford, was later identified as their killer.

Armed with two knives and wearing a fake suicide vest, he was tackled by members of the public, including ex-offenders from the conference, before he was shot dead by police.

He died from "multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen" and "shock and haemorrhage", a separate inquest hearing was told.

On Wednesday, City of London senior coroner Alison Hewitt opened and adjourned inquests into the victims' deaths at the Old Bailey.

The court heard Jones had graduated from Cambridge University in the summer of 2018 with a master's in criminology and had applied to join West Midlands Police.

She was said to be "passionate about victim support" and planned to use her role in the police to further her PhD at Oxford University.

Merritt also had a master's degree in criminology at Cambridge, having already completed a law degree at Manchester University.

Both Jones and Merritt had been at the Fishmongers' Hall event when they were stabbed, the hearing was told.

Detective Superintendent Des McHugh said: "On Friday November 29 2019 an event was held at Fishmonger's Hall, London Bridge.

"At 1.58pm police were contacted with reports that a male was attacking delegates at the event within Fishmongers' Hall.

"Armed officers attended the scene. Upon their arrival the male had left the building and was being restrained on London Bridge by several members of the public. The male was subsequently shot by police."

Jones was pronounced dead at 2.25pm, the court heard.

Merritt was moved from the scene to nearby King William Street where he was pronounced dead at 3.14pm, despite efforts to save him.

Post-mortem examinations found Merritt and Jones died from "shock and haemorrhaging" and a "stab wound to the chest", the Metropolitan Police officer said.

Merritt was a co-ordinator for Learning Together, a program associated with Cambridge University's Institute of Criminology.

Jones was a volunteer for the program which aims to bring offenders and people in higher education to study alongside each other.

Three more people were injured in the attack, two of whom are said to remain in a stable condition in hospital while the third has returned home.

In the separate hearing, Detective Superintendent McHugh confirmed Khan was a 28-year-old British citizen from the Stafford area.

He told the court Khan was convicted of engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts on October 7, 2011.

He was released from Woodhill Prison on December 24, 2018 and subject to a counter-terrorism notification order.

Khan joined the Learning Together program towards the end of his sentence and attended the event at Fishmonger's Hall to take part in group workshops, the court heard.

He was shot on London Bridge, having been restrained by members of the public, the officer said.

Khan was pronounced dead on the bridge at 3.07pm, the court heard.

The fresh inquests come just months after the conclusion of the Old Bailey inquests into the deaths of eight innocent people, including two Australian women, during the 2017 London Bridge terror attack.

Australian Associated Press