A man who stabbed his wife to death, then attempted to stitch the fatal wound with a needle and thread has been jailed for life at Lewes Crown Court.

Dewi Hughes, 38, who has been diagnosed as suffering form a psychopathic personality disorder, was branded by Judge Richard Brown as a wolf in sheep's clothing and one of the most dangerous men to have appeared in the dock at the court.

Hughes had denied murdering his wife Anne, 55, a mother of two, at their home in Twyford Road, Brighton in May last year.

On the seventh day of the trial the prosecution accepted Hughes' plea of guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The decision to accept the plea was made after the jury heard psychiatric reports which described Hughes as a neurotic psychopath and potentially very dangerous.

Judge brown told Hughes he would recommend he served a minimum of five years in prison but warned he may never be free.

The Judge said: "You are intelligent, friendly and affable in parts of your life but beyond that facade lies uncontrollable violence.

"There is clearly no treatment that can be given to you and the law determines there is only one sentence of life imprisonment. There may never be a time when it is safe to let you out of prison."

The jury had heard how Hughes, an alcoholic, had a history of mental health problems and had been jailed for violent crimes.

The couple had a stormy relationship and he admitted to assaulting his wife regularly while he had been drinking.

Detectives believe Mrs Hughes was killed on May 22 last year after neighbours heard her screaming loudly at 6am.

It was not until 18 hours later that Hughes contacted the GP out of hours emergency service. He said she was unconscious after accidentally stabbing herself on a tin opener.

When an ambulance crew arrived she was already dead.