A sex attacker staged a vicious robbery after fleeing a secure hospital.

Malcolm Foster - dubbed the vampire rapist after he licked blood from a schoolgirl's wounds before raping her - was jailed for nine years, in 1995.

He served most of the sentence in prison before being transferred to St Nicholas Hospital, Gosforth, Newcastle.

Newcastle Crown Court heard yesterday that, after failing to return to the unit from a day release, Foster returned to his native Sunderland and robbed a shopkeeper.

The court heard how he went to the JRV Discount Store, in New Herrington, on July 28 last year.

He asked owner Javid Rasul for change before hitting him over the head with a vodka bottle.

He jumped over the counter and took more than £180 as Mr Rasul tried to fight him off with a chair.

Mr Rasul was taken to hospital, where he received six stitches to a cut on his head.

Judge Tim Hewitt imposed an interim hospital order for Foster to be assessed at St Nicholas Hospital.

He will be back before the court in ten weeks to be sentenced.

Foster was jailed after he raped the teenager as she went to meet her boyfriend.

She lost consciousness, and came round to find Foster licking blood from wounds on her face. He then raped her.

He admitted rape and wounding with intent at Newcastle Crown Court.