Connah Smith
Connah Smith will serve at least 15 years in prison after he was found guilty of attempted murder Sussex Police

An "extremely dangerous" man from Brighton who repeatedly stabbed two trainee nurses and attempted to set them on fire during a seven-hour ordeal has been jailed for life.

Connah Smith will serve at least 15 years behind bars for the "horror movie" attack on flatmates Gabby Price and Megan Parson at their home in Dean Street, Brighton, on March 29.

Smith, 20, of Vernon Terrace, was found guilty of attempted murder on Monday and had already admitted to GBH with intent, threats to kill and false imprisonment.

His life imprisonment sentence of 30 years, serving a minimum of 15 years, covers all the offences.

He held Price and Parson captive at their home after arriving with a rucksack containing a hammer, knives, an imitation firearm, a can of petrol, matches and sticky tape.

He held the victims under bath water, repeatedly stabbed them and asked the pair how they wanted to die.

He also poured petrol over the women and told them to lie down on a bed before throwing lit matches at them.

The ordeal only ended when one of the victims claimed she had suffered a miscarriage.

Speaking after the sentence was given at Lewes Crown Court, Detective Inspector Mick Jones said: "I would like to thank the two victims for the courage they have shown during this trial.

"Their evidence has led to the conviction of Smith. He subjected them to an horrendous ordeal over a seven-hour period which was like something out of a horror movie.

"Smith is an extremely dangerous individual, the level of the danger he poses having been reflected in the sentence he has received today."