'Perhaps it will be third time lucky with his suicide attempt'

Dellwyn James, 31, from Hastings, was convicted on Monday for the murder of the 19-year-old bank worker at her Cantelupe Road flat on March 27.

Rae was stabbed 15 times in the face and neck with two kitchen knives and found by a colleague when she didn't arrive at work the next day.

Rae's father, Detective Chief Inspector, Jim Torbet gave a powerful speech outside Lewes Crown Court on Monday, saying he hoped it would be "third time lucky" for the murderer who had tried to commit suicide twice.

He told the Observer yesterday: "Shall we say it was from the heart.

"There is no hiding behind it. There is nothing that would give me the feeling of justice more than if he killed himself.

"Justice is done as well as it can be done.

"I was watching in court, seeing his mother being able to talk to him.

"He was able to touch his mum and speak to his mum. We will never be able to do that with Rae again.

"Some day in the future that man will walk the street and that hurts, that hurts.

"I have never been a capital punishment activist but I can well understand the feeling now."