A STUDENT who carried out a crazed knife attack on a man and woman may be deported.

French national Eric Samo severed an artery in student Richard Laven's arm and slashed the throat of his prospective mother-in-law, Marlene Hunter, after bursting into a house in Acton Street, Middlesbrough.

The 29-year-old then lunged at four Cleveland Police officers who came to the rescue.

He snapped less than 24 hours after being cleared by a court of carrying out a knifepoint rape attack on a 28-year-old woman.

Two eminent psychiatrists ruled that Samo was legally insane when he went on his bloody rampage.

Professor Donald Grubin diagnosed Samo as suffering from an acute and transient psychotic disorder, the symptoms of which could disappear as suddenly as they appeared.

Both Mr Laven and Mrs Hunter required emergency hospital treatment.

Inquiries are to be made with the Home Office to see if Samo, who came from France to study on Teesside, should be deported.

"A feature of the case which concerns me is the status of the defendant," Judge Henriques told Teesside Crown Court yesterday.

Ordering reports on Samo, he said: "At the same time I request a full report from the Probation Service and also ask the Crown Prosecution Service to contact the Home Office with a view to establishing the status of the defendant."

Adjourning sentence for three weeks, the judge told Samo: "I cannot deal with your case today because further inquiries must be made."

Defence barrister Peter Makepeace asked if Samo could be released on conditional bail. The judge told him: "With no consultant at the present time who is prepared to oversee the case, I am not prepared to do so.

"I have a compelling duty to the public before there can be any question of the defendant being placed at liberty."

He told the court: "It seems to me he must be assessed while in custody."

At an earlier hearing, Judge Henriques directed a jury to find Samo not guilty, by reason of insanity, of two charges of attempted murder and four offences of attempted wounding with intent.

Yesterday, Samo was remanded in custody to appear before the judge at Leeds Crown Court on April 30.