A Costessey man who killed his two daughters and their aunt was known to mental health services before the murders, it has been confirmed.

Bartlomiej Kuczynski, 45, was found dead in his home in Queen's Hills a week ago, along with his children Jasmin, 12 and Natasha, eight.

His sister-in-law, 36-year-old Kanticha Sukpengpanao, who was visiting the family from Thailand, was also found dead.

Detectives believe Kuczynski stabbed all three to death, while his wife was at work at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (N&N), before taking his own life.

Neighbours say he had been struggling with mental health problems for months before the tragedy and had been seeking help.

Until now, the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) - which provides mental health services - had refused to reveal whether it had any dealings with the father-of-two, despite coming under pressure from MPs to do so.

But it has now confirmed that he was known to staff.

It also clarified that he was a patient before he went missing on December 14.

He was later found after a police search and taken to the N&N for a full mental health assessment by NSFT staff but left before they arrived.

Caroline Donovan, NSFT chief executive, said: "We are deeply saddened to hear about this incident. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family involved in these tragic circumstances and the wider community at this very difficult time.

Eastern Daily Press:

"As has been confirmed, a patient - who was already known to our services - was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital by the police on December 14.

"After the patient had been assessed by the emergency team, a specialist team from NSFT arrived but found that the patient had discharged themselves.

"The patient was then referred to their GP.

"We will be undertaking our own full externally-led serious incident review to ensure any learning is identified and will, of course, work with partners to collaborate with any external investigations."

In a separate development, it has also emerged that Norfolk County Council's social services department had had "recent contact" with the family.

Any contact Kuczynski had with the NHS and police will now be closely scrutinised to see if any opportunities to avoid the tragedy could have been missed.

Norfolk Constabulary has already referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over the December 14 incident and a 999 call Kuczynski made from the house, an hour before the bodies were found last Friday.

During the call, at 6am, he raised concerns about his mental state and said he was "confused". Call handlers advised him to seek medical advice and did not send officers to the property.

The bodies were discovered just after 7am, when a dog walker called police to raise concerns about people in the house.