A STUDENT who stabbed a man and a woman in a crazed knife attack, hours after being cleared of a rape charge, is to be detained in hospital before being deported.

Eric Samo, 30, a French national who came to the UK and lived in Middlesbrough under a student visa, could have been allowed to walk free had he been given a supervision and treatment order following his latest appearance at court.

But Judge Mr Justice Henriques, sitting at Leeds Crown Court, decided not to follow advice given to him by psychiatric experts and ordered that Samo be admitted to hospital before his eventual deportation.

The judge said he had to protect the public from dangerous individuals and that to make an order that would in effect instantly free Samo into the community would be manifestly reckless and give wholly insufficient protection.

Samo stabbed 21-year-old Richard Laven in the arm and chest and then attacked Marlene Hunter, the mother of his girlfriend, slashing her across the throat, less than 24 hours after being cleared at Teesside Crown Court of raping a woman at knifepoint.

Following the apparently random stabbings, in Acton Street, Middlesbrough, on October 11, last year, he then attacked four police officers before being overpowered.

After being charged with two counts of attempted murder and four counts of attempting to wound with intent, the jury at his trial was ordered to return not guilty verdicts by reason of insanity.

Samo, whose last address was Glentworth House, Netherfields, Middlesbrough, and whose parents are from Cameroon, was said to suffer from an acute and transient psychotic disorder, the symptoms of which can appear as quickly as they disappear.

Yesterday, having ordered reports into the status of Samo, Judge Henriques rejected pleas from defence counsel to make a supervision and treatment order on him, which was said to have been recommended by three highly respected psychiatrists.

Peter Makepeace, for Samo - who was also served with an immigration order ordering his deportation - said he had been through a very lengthy period of stability without reoccurrence of the tragic problems he had previously.

The court heard that Home Secretary David Blunkett had recommended Samo be deported and that it was appropriate under a section of the Immigration Act relating to what was conducive to the public good.

Mr Makepeace said: "Mr Samo has no intention of appealing against the deportation order. As far as he is concerned, the sooner he is returned to France, the happier he will be."

Samo will be returned to Holme House prison, near Stockton, with a decision on which hospital he is detained and the length of term being made by the Home Office.

Last night, Middlesbrough Police commander Chief Superintendent Mark Braithwaite spoke of his relief at the prospect of Samo being deported back to France.

He said: "Our thoughts today are with the victims and their families. There is no doubt they have suffered tremendously from the actions of this man and will be extremely relieved he will not be allowed back on the streets of Middlesbrough.

"As the court has made him subject of a hospital order, he will be returned to Holme House Prison, Stockton, until a place at a secure mental hospital can be found for him.

"In the meantime, however, a deportation order has been served on him and, unless he appeals against that order, he will deported from the UK."

Chief Supt Braithwaite thanked a building worker who helped police officers overpower Samo at the time of his arrest.