Rhyl man Redvers James Bickley, 21, was today jailed for life on Wednesday after he was previously convicted of murdering his housemate Tyler Denton, who he stabbed to death in September of last year.

Mr Justice Simon Picken ruled that the defendant  - who blamed his alter ego also named James - should serve a minimum of 30 years before being considered for parole.

Last month a jury also convicted him of attempting to murder her two sisters Cody and Shannen, and their father Paul Denton who went to the aid of his three daughters in Rhyl, North Wales.

Bickley – who showed no emotion as he was being sentenced – received three life sentences with concurrent ten year minimum terms.

Bickley, formerly of Wrexham, was told by the judge that he would have to serve the 30 years – and there was no guarantee that he would be released at that stage.

He said a night in by the sisters where they were having a giggle and a good laugh ended in “the most appalling brutal fashion” and Tyler’s death at the age of 25 after she was repeatedly stabbed.

“The attack came out of nowhere,” he said.

The judge told how the defendant had been growling and grunting, and said that he had said “Red’s Revenge” and “Red’s Return” as the attack continued.

The jury had rejected his claim of manslaughter because of diminished responsibility but that did not mean that he did not suffer from a mental disorder, he said. He also took into account his young age.

It had been accepted by a doctor called by the prosecution that he had not made up his alter ego James in order to provide himself with a defence.

Victim impact statements made sad reading, the judge said. “It is clear that the family members’ lives have changed for ever,” he said.

They were a close knit and thoroughly decent family and the effect upon them of what had happened was “horrendous”, he said.

He praised their dignity throughout the trial at Mold Crown Court.

Sentencing Bickley, he said that perhaps it would never be known why he had done it.

He and Tyler had been described as being like a brother and sister but it was clear that he may have been acting out a fantasy.

He had written things at the dictation of his alter ego about stabbing Tyler and it was clear that he had an interest in swords and knives.

Patrick Harrington QC, defending, said that a thoroughly decent and nice family had been put through an appalling trauma all for nothing and they would suffer the long term consequences.

He had shown genuine remorse, had accepted what he had done and apologised immediately.

Mr Harrington said of his client: “He faces the consequences of what he has done with a recognition that the punishment must be severe and will take away the best years of his life. He is still only 21. He recognises he will not even be considered for release until he is in his 50s.”

The earlier murder trial jury took more than eight hours to reach their verdicts.

Bickley, who denied the offences, accepted what he had done – but said his alter ego James was responsible.

It was terrifying, he said, but it was James who told him what to do when he carried out the knife attack.

Bickley told the jury that he was determined to kill himself after what had happened – no matter how long it took and said the black ring he wore on his wedding finger was a suicide ring.

The prosecution said he was a fantastist, obsessed by Tyler, knew what he was doing when he dressed in black, got a flick knife, and adopted the terrifying persona of a man who growled and grunted as he carried out the attack at Llys Aderyn Du in the resort.

The defence called him a homicidal maniac and said his responsibility was diminished by an abnormality of mind.

It all happened at a birthday celebration when Bickley started to knife the three girls having changed to black clothes and in a demonic voice set about them with a flick knife.