An Afghan murderer who was allowed into Britain unchecked and then attacked two police officers with a hammer has had his sentence slashed in half by appeal judges.

Jamshid Piruz, 35, was handed a life sentence earlier this year after he launched a frenzied attack on the two officers in East Sussex.

He cornered PC Jessica Chick and lashed out wildly at her with the claw hammer before repeatedly hitting her colleague PC Stuart Young.

Both officers suffered injuries in the terrifying attack and thought they were going to be killed.

It later emerged Piruz had served time in jail for murder after brutally killing a woman in his flat.

Jamshid Piruz, 35, was handed a life sentence earlier this year after he launched a frenzied attack on the two officers

Sentencing him for the attack on the police officers Judge Jeremy Gold said Piruz was a 'very dangerous man' from whom the public needed protecting

Sentencing him for the attack on the police officers Judge Jeremy Gold said Piruz was a 'very dangerous man' from whom the public needed protecting.

Ordering him to serve a minimum of six years before being eligible for release he said: 'You are potentially a very dangerous man and you are prone to outbursts of potentially fatal violence when stressed with little or no ability to control these outbursts.'

But last week appeal court judges slashed his minimum sentence to just three years.

The appeal court ruling means the convicted murderer could be back on the streets in less than 30 months.

Mr Justice Holroyde, sitting with Lady Justice Rafferty and Mr Justice Sweeney, cut his minimum term saying the crown court judge had not given him enough credit for his early guilty plea.

But Piruz did not enter an early guilty plea as the case had to be repeatedly adjourned.

It was adjourned twice as the court explored whether he was mentally fit to plead and then adjourned twice more as Piruz, who speaks fluent English, insisted on an interpreter being present in court.

It is the third sentence slashed on appeal by Mr Justice Holroyde in a little over two months.

Pc Chick told the court: 'I have never been so scared in my life, I have never been in a situation where I thought "This is it, I am going to die or I am going to be brain dead"'

Earlier this month Mr Justice Holroyde slashed the sentence of a hospital doctor who had sexually assaulted young girls.

Benjamin Brooks, 28, of Lytham, had his 28 month sentence reduced to 22 months after he claimed the stress of his job caused him to commit the crimes.

And in June Mr Justice Hoyroyde also slashed the 13-year sentence handed to high-rolling cocaine dealer David Gallagher, 57, to 12 years on appeal.

Jamshid Piruz attacked PC Chick and PC Young with a claw hammer during a break-in at a property near Crawley on 7 January 2016.

The court heard that after arriving in Britain in December 2015 to visit relatives, Afghan-born Dutch citizen Piruz had missed his return flight home from Gatwick Airport on 4 January, 2016.

He went on to be arrested and prosecuted for assault after he spat at a member of EasyJet staff who told him he would need to buy a new ticket.

After appearing in court and being ordered to pay compensation, he was released and went on to burgle garages in Crawley, where he stole tools including a hammer.

On 7 January police were called after a member of the public saw Piruz attempting a further break-in, which led to the attack on the officers.

He pleaded guilty at Hove Crown Court to burglary and two counts of attempting to cause GBH with intent and affray.

But the court was told Afghan-born Piruz had been previously jailed in the Netherlands after he had had brutally cut the throat of a woman who was a tenant in his flat in 2006.

Pc Young, who was hit in the neck during the attack, described it as 'akin to a horror film'

He had locked the woman in a room and taken her mobile phone away from her.

After three hours he released her and handed her back the phone so she could call her ex-husband.

But by the time he arrived at the property she had had her throat cut and was already dead.

Court documents in the Netherlands said he was inspired to attack the woman after watching Taliban beheading videos.

Piruz pleaded guilty to murder was sentenced to 12 years in prison and was released after six years.

However in 2014 was hauled before the Dutch courts again for breaching the terms of his licence.

It was said he had been found wandering around in a confused and distressed manner and admitted using drugs - a breach of his parole licence.

Politicians called for Amber Rudd to introduce a tougher US-style warning system to flag up whether any traveller has a conviction

However the Dutch courts refused to revoke his licence and return him to prison and he was freed and allowed to travel to Britain where he attacked the two police officers when they confronted him.

PC Chick said: 'I have never been so scared in my life. I thought 'This is it, I am going to die.'

Neither officer was seriously injured but PC Stuart Young, who was hit in the neck, described it like 'a horror film'.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex Katy Bourne said: 'Whilst I fully accept the decision of the courts, I share the frustration of the Sussex Police Federation in that someone with such a violent past appears to have got off very lightly. The officers who dealt with this individual showed incredible bravery.'

Matt Webb, chairman of the Sussex Police Federation, said: 'On August 17, we were informed that the appeal of Jamshid Piruz was successful and his minimum tariff the minimum time that he will need to spend behind bars was reduced to just three years - bearing in mind the time he had spent on remand prior to conviction he could be back on the streets in less than two and a half years.

'It is highly frustrating that a male, who is a convicted murderer in another European country, has been treated so leniently by the appeal judge.

'When located by police he was prepared to use significant violence towards officers in an attempt to avoid apprehension.

'Who can forget the body worn video footage showing the officers with hammer blows raining down on them, before sufficient numbers arrived to subdue and control him.

'These officers were attacked and assaulted while simply doing their job, investigating crime and seeking to bring criminals to justice. I do not believe for one moment that had Piruz attacked a member of the judiciary while they carried out their work that he would be freed in such quick time.

'Policing is a risky business, but being assaulted is not part of the job and will never be part of the job.

'On behalf of the officers involved we will be seeking advice as to what can be done in this case, while continuing to work with colleagues around the country to bring about the overdue legislative change that will adequately protect the protectors.'