OUR front page story today – about how fanatic with convictions in Britain for carrying weapons was freed to spread terror on a North-East street – is deeply disturbing.

Noureden Mallaky-Soodmand, who has hidden behind 27 aliases, was supposed to have been deported three years ago but was freed from a detention centre because the Iranian embassy in the UK happened to be closed – and there was no-one to do the paperwork.

So, instead of being kicked out of this country, as should have happened, he was simply housed in a flat on Teesside.

Mallaky-Soodmand took advantage of his liberty by going on a booze-fuelled rampage with a deadly combat knife in Stockton, threatening to behead passers-by.

Luckily, no one was hurt but it is easy to see why one of those terrorised, Stephen Daumler, had "dark thoughts" about the murder of off-duty soldier Lee Rigby in London.

Mallaky-Soodman is now behind bars, serving a four-year sentence, but this is a case which is sure to spread anger and alarm. If someone considered a significant enough risk to be deported can be the subject of such glaring blunders by the authorities, how many more potential terrorists might slip through the net?

Mr Daumler has called for an inquiry and he is right to do so. Why was Mallaky-Soodman not held in custody until he could be deported? Who gave the authority to give him a flat? Has anyone been held to account for allowing this dangerous fanatic to go back on our streets to shout racist threats while armed with a knife?

These are questions which need to be answered.