A "cruel, heartless and sadistic" torturer was jailed for life today after a judge said the only place for him was behind bars.

Carlon Robinson, 27, was told by Old Bailey judge David Stokes that he was wicked and exceptionally dangerous.

The court heard Robinson and Nolan Atkins, 25, were responsible for a summer of terror from July to October 2001, in Brighton, Eastbourne and Brixton, south London.

Their victims were tortured and attempts were made to kill two of them during robberies.

Robinson, of Merton Court, Brighton, was convicted at an earlier trial and was today given two life sentences for attempted murder.

He was jailed concurrently for sentences of up to 12 years for other offences including using firearms, false imprisonment and causing grievous bodily harm.

Atkins was jailed for 15 years for attempted murder and given other sentences to run concurrently for the other offences.

Judge Stokes sentenced Robinson in his absence as he refused to go into court.

The judge told him: "You are obviously obsessed with guns.

"You are an evil coward - one of those rare human beings who have no redeeming features.

"You are cruel, heartless and sadistic. Intimidation is for you a way of life.

"The torture and degradation suffered by your victims almost beggars belief.

"There is only one place for you and that is behind bars."

Atkins, he said, had been under Robinson's influence but had taken an active part in the degradation and torture.

Both men, who had denied the charges, had appalling records, the judge said.

The trial jury heard how the pair pistol-whipped victims, beat them, poured boiling water over them and threatened to slice off genitals as they hunted for cash and drugs.

Robinson and Atkins were trying to headup a Sussex-wide drugs empire using extreme violence to enforce their will.

The half-brothers burst into the homes of people they thought were on the fringe of the drugs world and terrorised them for information about dealers.

But they also picked on nine innocent people at three Sussex addresses, tying them up, threatening to shoot them and torturing them for hours.

Some were left with horrific wounds.

Robinson and Atkins were arrested but were able to commit further violence in London when they were freed on bail by a court in Eastbourne.

District Judge Kathy Marshall refused Sussex Police permission to further detain the pair and an hour later officers had to let them go.

Within weeks, Robinson had blasted a man in both legs and the pair had shot another victim in the chest.

Passing sentence the judge told Robinson: "Only old age or infirmity will result in your release."