A man who threatened to stab his wife to death during an eight-hour siege has been jailed for three years.

Colin Johnston, 38, barricaded himself and his wife, Shelley, into their flat in Eastbourne.

He was armed with seven knives, including one with a nine-inch blade.

When police tried to persuade him to release his wife, Johnston shouted abuse and threats to the officers from the balcony of his home at Kildare Court, Barcombe Close.

An armed response unit was sent to the scene as Johnston dragged a table in front of the door to prevent police forcing their way into his flat.

The drama on September 19 last year ended in the early hours after specialist police negotiators persuaded Johnston to free his wife.

He later told police he had been seeking psychiatric help and his behaviour that night was a cry for help.

Lewes Crown Court heard how the couple had been married for eight years and Johnston's wife was standing by him.

She was in the public gallery to see him sentenced and the couple blew each other kisses as Johnston was led from the dock to the cells.

He admitted two charges of making threats to kill.

Judge Simon Coltart told him: "This was a terrifying incident for those police officers involved. It was a siege that lasted over eight hours and during that time you made extremely convincing threats both to the police and your wife while armed with a large and sharp knife."

The court heard the drama unfolded during the evening after police were called to the couple's home at about 6pm following reports of a disturbance.

John Fairhead, prosecuting, said: "For at least eight-and-a-half hours he had his wife kidnapped and under siege with a large number of knives."

He said trouble flared because officers who went to the flat had refused to leave without checking whether Mrs Johnston, 41, was safe.

Mrs Johnston called out that she was OK and told officers her husband suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after one of his brothers stabbed to death another brother. But as she spoke, Johnston grabbed hold of her by the hair and held a kitchen knife with a nine-inch blade to her throat and shouted: "I still love her but I will slit her throat. I will kill her and then you."

Officers described his behaviour as vicious and angry as he shouted death threats.

At 2.40am he was eventually persuaded to free his wife and give himself up.

During later interviews with officers he said his actions were a cry for help and he had wanted the police to shoot him.

Frank Winslett, defending, said Johnston had meant no harm to anyone that night except himself.

He said Johnston, who won a bravery award in 1997 for saving young children from a fire, had been badly affected by his brother's death in 1996 at the hands of another brother.

He said Johnston's wife had continued to visit her husband regularly since he was remanded in custody following his arrest.