A terrified woman fears a former lover who stabbed her in the neck with a kitchen knife will return to "finish the job" after he escaped from a secure psychiatric unit.

Mother-of-three Linda Westwood has criticised police for not telling her paranoid schizophrenic Ibrahim Ibrahim was on the run.

She only found out from a radio report of his escape.

Ibrahim, 36, was branded grossly psychotic during his trial in September 2002.

He had stabbed Miss Westwood, 46, in the throat with a 6in kitchen knife as she dozed on a sofa at her Eastbourne home, saying: "I'm going to kill you, I'm going to kill you, but I love you."

The blade narrowly avoided her voice box and she also survived an attempt to strangle her.

Ibrahim was cleared of attempted murder on the grounds of insanity but ordered to be detained indefinitely at Hellingly Hospital, near Hailsham.

He went missing from the hospital on Wednesday and police are searching the area.

Miss Westwood said: "The police said they couldn't get in touch with me as they had the wrong address.

"They said they tried to contact the council to find out where I was but it's no excuse.

"I had to ring them to see if it was true after hearing of his escape on the radio.

"I'm angry and absolutely petrified. I was shaking when I heard. I used to feel sorry for him but now I'm really scared.

"My first thought when I heard was 'will he be coming up behind me to do a proper job this time?'.

"The police said he had written lots of letters and I wasn't mentioned in any of them.

"I think it's disgusting that he has got out. It has brought it all back. I hope they catch him and inform me."

Ibrahim attacked Mrs Westwood at her home six days before Christmas two years ago.

A jury at Hove Crown Court took just 20 minutes after a two-day trial to clear him after hearing he was "grossly psychotic".

But a judge used his powers under mental health legislation to order that he be detained indefinitely at a psychiatric unit.

Ibrahim believed Mrs Westwood was involved in a plot to kill him, that she had poisoned his tea and her home was bugged by secret police from his African homeland.

He also swore at her and told her he was going to kill himself before saying: "You know I love you but you don't love me."

Jurors were told Ibrahim, an engineering student, had been having delusions and nightmares. He also heard voices saying "push" as he stabbed Mrs Westwood.

He was suspicious of people following him in cars and looking for him in pubs after fleeing the civil war in his native Eritrea, Africa, in 1991.

In May 2001 he was treated for depression by Brighton and Hove Health Authority.

Sentencing Ibrahim, Judge Anthony Scott-Gall said: "An innocent person was very nearly killed by someone who was very ill.

"He is now receiving treatment. The prognosis is not hopeless but it will be a very long time before he can be put back into the community."

A police spokesman said on Friday: "Police are urging people to report any sightings immediately. He has mental health issues and we are clearly concerned for him.

"At present we believe him to be in the local area and would ask people to keep an eye out."

The spokesman added taxi and bus firms had been made aware of his disappearance.

Ibrahim is black, about 5ft 9in and stocky. He was wearing a black jacket, black T-shirt, blue jeans and black trainers. He has cropped hair and stubble.