Student Carolyn Ellis, 32, suffered 45 knife wounds and was throttled with a belt in spite of attempts by neighbours at flats in Tollcross, Edinburgh, to save her. Another woman was stabbed in the arm before police arrived and sprayed Douglas Lawrence, 29, with CS gas.

Lawrence had been accused of murdering Ms Ellis but yesterday at the High Court in Edinburgh his guilty plea to a reduced charge of culpable homicide was accepted .

Afterwards, judge Lord Uist ordered Lawrence back to The State Hospital, Carstairs, where he has been held since his arrest. He is due back in court in January.