A senior police officer said she wished the force could have stopped killer Ahmed Alid after his housemate contacted police about him days before he carried out his attacks.
Victim Javed Nouri, who angered Alid by converting to Christianity, had been asleep when he was attacked and stabbed six times at the asylum seekers’ accommodation in Wharton Terrace, Hartlepool, where they both lived.
Mr Nouri claimed he warned police that asylum seeker Alid was routinely carrying a knife, but police said this was not reported when an officer visited him.
Mr Nouri said he had reported Alid to housing bosses, the Home Office and to Cleveland Police, voicing concerns about the Moroccan’s behaviour and his strict interpretation of Islam.
He said he told a friend from church: “This guy is very dangerous, he is a terrorist, he is not normal.”
Mr Nouri reported his concerns at a police station and was told a specialist officer would be in touch, he later told detectives.
A housing manager became involved in the dispute the next day, and warned Alid that he would have to leave the house if he did not change his behaviour, Mr Nouri said.
The attempted murder victim went back to police and later claimed he was told that housing managers had already dealt with the matter, jurors heard.
Deputy Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said Cleveland Police had been cleared by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over the incident.
She told the PA news agency: “I wish Mr Alid could have been stopped, of course I do, but I don’t believe that any different actions of Cleveland Police officers could have prevented him from doing what he did on that day.
“Yes, Mr Nouri contacted Cleveland Police and an appointment was made for an officer to go and speak to him, with an interpreter so that we could get the best information from him.
“In fact before that happened, a friend of Mr Nouri contacted us and said ‘everything’s calm, everything’s OK, housing providers have intervened’.
“But nevertheless, officers did still attend and took details from Mr Nouri, but there was no information in relation to threats with knives, but more information around a dispute over the property itself.
“But nevertheless, Cleveland Police reported ourself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and they scrutinised the actions of Cleveland Police, conducted a real thorough investigation into what had happened and they concluded that what the officer did was appropriate.”