The sister of a woman murdered by a former army officer who held her and her flatmate hostage for almost nine hours faced the killer in court today and told him how he had torn her family apart.

Danielle Waterhouse stared straight at Jeremy Green and said: "You have destroyed all of our lives and have taken a part of our family that can never be replaced.

"My heart aches knowing she died alone with no-one around her."

A former lieutenant from the Yorkshire regiment, Green, 26, showed little emotion as he was jailed for a minimum of 34 years at Leeds Crown Court after admitting murder and attempted murder.

The court heard how Green had subjected estate agent worker Nicole Waterhouse, known as Nikki, and Karen Browne to an ordeal that lasted from early morning until the evening.

Green slashed both women's throats, tried to smother them and attempted to choke one with a belt after breaking into their home.

Sitting alongside each other in court, relatives of both victims and the killer heard how Green had gone out with Miss Browne, 24, after they met at a dating event, which both women attended.

After their relationship ended last October, Green conned his way into the friends' flat in York and spent almost nine hours attacking them. He ended up killing 32-year-old Miss Waterhouse.

Although she survived the brutal attack, Miss Browne spent three months in hospital and now has no feeling down the left side of her body.

She suffered a total of 19 injuries to her face and body, including a stab wound to her spine which left her paralysed and unable to go her friend's aid, the court was told.

Miss Waterhouse, who had tried to help her friend when the attack started, suffered 65 wounds to her face, body and arms, some of which were caused by her trying to fight the killer off.

During the hearing Green, who lived in a flat just 10 minutes walk from his victims home, looked straight ahead as details of the attack were revealed.

The only emotion from Green came when Miss Waterhouse's father and three sisters read out impact statements to the court. The former soldier was close to tears while members of his own family cried.

Peter Moulson QC, prosecuting, said Green, who had been discharged from the Army last year after he admitted several minor offences of dishonesty, had gone out with Miss Browne after they met at a dating event.

On October 20 last year - after their relationship ended - Green contacted Miss Browne to say he had a DVD for her but when he got to the flat he tricked his way inside and attacked the two women, who worked together.

The emergency services were only contacted later that day when a neighbour heard a woman cry for help, saying she had been stabbed and locked in the flat.

When police arrived they had to break in and found Miss Waterhouse, who was naked, dead and Miss Browne badly injured. Both were covered in blood after suffering horrendous injuries after Green attacked them with a lock knife.

Barely alive, Miss Browne was taken to hospital where she had surgery and a blood transfusion to save her life. Her throat had been cut at least twice and her spine suffered a stab wound.

"Green had also obviously tried to murder her as well," said Mr Moulson.

Despite her injuries, Miss Browne was able to tell police who was responsible and Green was arrested at his flat in a few hours later.

The court was told that he had gone to the friends flat at 10.20 that morning and finally left, along with their mobile phones and bank cards at around 7pm.

On leaving the flat he withdrew £750 on their banks cards and went shopping for food at two local supermarkets.

Mr.Moulson said: "It has become apparent that Green had attempted to murder Nicole by smothering her and then murdered her with a knife and bottle. He attempted to murder Karen on several occasions."

After his arrest Green, who refused to answer police questions, told a psychiatrist he had intended to burgle the friends flat and was carrying the lock knife for self defence because he was a former soldier and what had happened to Lee Rigby.

Green, who admitted murdering Miss Waterhouse and the attempted murder of Miss Browne, now 24, was jailed for a total of 33 years 198 days.

Passing sentence, the Recorder of Leeds Judge Peter Collier QC said Green at one stage he seemed to "have everything going for you" in his personal and Army life.

However, at the time of the attack, he was short of money had decided to burgle the flat and steal jewellery to sell.

But when he found the women at home he accused Miss Browne, who had sent him a message saying she was going out, of lying and attacked her with a lock knife.

The judge said: "She cried out to Nikki 'get out or get help'. Nikki came into the bedroom where you had attacked Karen. Again you had no hesitation in attacking her also.

"Throughout the day you engaged in the most appalling and prolonged series of attacks on these two young women. They were completely at your mercy.

"It is impossible to imagine the torment to which they were both subjected and the terror they experienced over those long hours.

"Finally shortly before 7 pm you decide that you must kill these young women."

After the attacks, the judge said he was satisfied that Green believed he had killed them both or that they would die shortly after he left.

"Your final savagery to each of them is almost beyond belief."

Green was jailed for 33 years 198 days for murdering Miss Waterhouse and a further concurrent 24 years sentence for attempting to murder Miss Browne.

_{The family of Nicole Waterhouse: father John Waterhouse and sisters Danielle and Chloe (Steven Schofield/ Ross Parry)}

Earlier the court heard emotional witness impact statements from Miss Waterhouse's father John, who she used to work with and her sisters Danielle, Simone and Chloe.

He said: "It is like a nightmare which we can not wake up from. A terrible blackness covers us.

"She was totally conned by this man whose evilness will haunt us forever."

In tears, Miss Waterhouse's sister Simone said: "It is unbearable to think of my sister's final moments at the hands of Jeremy Green."

Green had been kicked out of the Army after being court martialled for stealing from fellow officers.

He had been regarded as a good officer who was developing into a sound platoon commander but because of problems in his family life anger built up in him and, the court heard, he "developed habits of lying and stealing".