A paranoid schizophrenic who beheaded a pensioner and two cats during a 45-minute rampage has been cleared of murder - but will be detained indefinitely in hospital.

Palmira Silva, 82, was in her garden when she was attacked by Nicholas Salvador, 25, who stabbed and beheaded her during a delusional episode in Nightingale Road, Edmonton.

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The Old Bailey heard Salvador was armed with a wooden pole and machete and had to be tasered six times by police before being detained following a violent struggle on September 4th last year.

It took just 41 minutes for a jury to clear the 25-year-old, of Gilda Avenue, of murder on the grounds of insanity following a two day trial. He will be detained at Broadmoor Hospital.

Jonathan Rees QC, prosecuting, told the jury the killing happened three days after Mr Salvador had lost his job, and there was no dispute he killed her.

At the time of the killing Salvador was living three doors away from Mrs Silva in Nightingale Road.

On the day of the attack the defendant armed himself and beheaded two of his hosts' cats, because he thought they were "demons."

He then made his way through back gardens, smashed his way into a house and then attacked a car containing two members of the family he was living with.

Judge Nicholas Hilliard said: "You could not have been more deluded. Nobody who saw it will forget the mild and trusting way in Mrs Silva approached you over her wall even though you were brandishing a pole and large knife.

"She was rapidly incapacitated when you stabbed her, and was dead or dying within seconds of the attack.

"It's a mercy that she can have had no time to begin to comprehend what was going on.

"This gentle and independent 82-year-old lady should have been able to live her life in peace and security, taking pride in the achievements of others.

"It's important of course your illness should be treated as far as it can be."

A victim impact statement written by Mrs Silva's daughter Celestina Muis, read out in court by Mr Rees, said: This event has impacted on us as a family and also individually.

"The way in which she died has had a devastating effect on us all.

"It's difficult to come to terms with what happened that day. We as a family no longer feel safe and secure."

The family has been left feeling "drained" and now find it hard to focus, and many have had counselling, bad dreams and irregular sleeping patterns.

The statement added that the "the joy of everyday things" has now gone for the family.

It added: "Our lives have been torn apart knowing what has happened to our mother.

"Good people have been turned into nervous, angry individuals and struggle to get through the week like they used to.”