Two violent criminals have been jailed for life for terrorising their victims with knives.

A judge told 18-year-old Raina Dunne, who gutted one of her victims, and 36-year-old robber Simon Baker that he was imposing such stiff sentences to serve as a warning.

In a statement welcomed by campaigners and police, Judge Anthony Niblett said he wanted the sentences to help stem the growing fear of knife crime sweeping our streets.

Dunne stabbed a man she believed had assaulted one of her friends in Hastings.

She stuck the lock knife into his stomach and pulled it upwards, inflicting horrific injuries.

Witnesses told police Dunne shouted: "We can't leave him, we must kill him."

Victim Pejo Kalo ran to the train station, where he was put in a taxi and taken to Conquest Hospital on December 7, last year.

He arrived with his intestines hanging out and was rushed straight into the operating theatre.

After seeing pictures of the wound following the operation, Judge Anthony Niblett said it was "a mercy" Mr Kalo had not died.

Baker carried out three knifepoint robberies on victims, who included a Scout leader, a taxi driver and an off-licence assistant.

Arian Blower was left so terrified by what happened that she has since left her job at Threshers in St Leonards Marina.

Taxi driver Alan Jones was forced to hand over his £30 takings after Baker threatened him with a blade in his cab in December. The following night Philip Moore was threatened with a blade as he returned home from a Scout meeting.

Baker snatched a cashbox containing £50 in subs from the Scouts and also tried to take Mr Moore's phone and car keys.

Dunne and Baker were eligible for mandatory life sentences after carrying out similar crimes in the past.

Judge Niblett said both posed a serious enough risk to the public in future to justify life sentences.

He said: "I cannot ignore the current deep concern and anxiety felt by the public about the use of knives.

"The life sentence is firstly to punish you and secondly to deter you and others minded to use knives in the commission of crime."

Details of both cases were outlined separately at Hove Crown Court yesterday.

The sentences were handed out on the day Prime Minister Tony Blair suggested minimum sentences for illegal possession of knives could rise in the wake of a series of knife attacks across the UK.

Lyn Costello, co-founder of Mothers Against Murder And Aggression, welcomed the judge's comments.

She said: "This is what we have been calling for for a long time. Until we send out a message that we won't tolerate this behaviour, it will get worse."

Dunne, of Farley Bank, Hastings, must serve a minimum of two-and-half years before she is considered for parole.

Baker, from New Cross, London, who was living in Bexhill at the time, must serve at least five years.

The judge said if they are released they will remain on licence for life and can be recalled to prison for committing any further offence.

Roger Boothe, who prosecuted both cases, said Dunne had previous convictions for robbery and attempted robbery.

They included being part of a gang that robbed pupils on a train from Hastings to Bexhill.

The youngsters were made to believe one of the gang had a knife, although it was not seen.

He said Baker had 22 previous convictions for 59 offences including burglary and assault with intent to resist arrest.

Ian Potter, who defended both cases, said Dunne had drunk one-and-a-quarter bottles of vodka before the stabbing.

He said she came from a background where she had seen her mother assaulted by partners.

Mr Potter added: "She has had to defend her mother and has taken over the parental role for her two sisters because her mother was incapable of caring for them.

"She is considered to be a danger only to men who are aggressive towards her when she has been drinking."

He said that although Baker had a bad record, he was not an inherently dangerous person.

Detective Sergeant Geoff Childs, who is leading the hunt for the man who stabbed two Iranians in St Leonards on Monday, welcomed the sentences.

He told The Argus: "This was a very nasty incident and another reason why people should hand in knives. It is an example of how carrying them can end up with people getting seriously hurt or even killed."