Stephen Edwards has been jailed for life after a jury heard how he stabbed his sister-in-law up to 31 times and kept his wife hostage in a five-hour gun siege.

Mr Justice Owen, sentencing Edwards to life at Bristol Crown Court, said he was a very dangerous man after hearing how he had also attacked his first wife Christine McMellan in 1994, by beating her over the head with a frying pan and subjecting her to a 10-hour hostage ordeal.

Edwards pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The judge said he should serve a minimum of ten years.The court heard how Edwards lured his victims back to the former marital home and hid before pouncing on his 43-year-old estranged wife Anita and her sister Julie Tuck as they walked into the house.

Edwards grabbed Mrs Tuck first while she was cleaning the kitchen, stabbing her with a knife in the legs, chest and abdomen.

Michael Matter-Lees, prosecuting, said Edwards then chased his terrified wife into the garden before throttling her and dragging her back into the house by her hair.

Mrs Tuck, who needed emergency surgery to save her life, staggered out of the house and alerted neighbours. She was unable to call emergency services on her mobile phone because her hands were covered in blood.

She was rushed to hospital with a collapsed lung and a punctured liver while police negotiated with Edwards.

Armed officers were used outside the house for five hours while police negotiated with Edwards, who

eventually gave himself up and released his traumatised wife.

Neighbours were left stunned by the dramatic gun siege, with parents and children watching as Edwards was forced to the ground outside his house by armed police officers.

Mrs Edwards has been treated for depression and regularly suffers panic attacks.

Nigel Pascoe QC, defending, said unemployed Edwards had shown

genuine remorse and even through

the attack had "struggled with his

own demons".

Mr Justice Owen told Edwards:

"The attacks have had a devastating effect on your victims. Their lives have been shattered by what you did.

"It is clear to me that you are a very dangerous man. You present a grave risk to the public and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future."

Detective Inspector Paul Granger from Wiltshire Police said he was pleased a "very dangerous man" had been taken off the streets, but said it was little consolation for the victims.

"The life sentence will never compensate them for the injuries and the trauma that they suffered," he said. "I think this will live with them for a long time."

Edwards was sentenced to life after pleading guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, with the judge setting a tariff of 10 years.

He was also jailed for 42 months after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and for four years for each of two counts of making threats to kill, which he also admitted. All the sentences will run together.