A patient who effectively shut down a hospital in Wales for two days by holding a doctor at gunpoint has been given a life sentence.

David Collins, 38, kept armed police at bay for 48 hours during the siege at Withybush Hospital, part of Pembrokeshire and Derwen trust, in October.

The trust responded to the incident with a full review of security arrangements, which is ongoing.

The Welsh Assembly also announced it would investigate lessons to be learned from the incident.

Mr Collins released his hostage, senior house officer Kingsley Paul, after 28 hours, but refused to leave, telling negotiators he had set booby traps and was armed with a sawn-off shotgun, a knife and a revolver.

It later emerged that the liquid- filled balloons he had attached to the ceiling contained water, not lighter fuel, and that his gun was a blank-firing starter pistol.

Dr Paul was strapped to a chair during his ordeal while Mr Collins threatened to set fire to them both. Mr Collins' target was consultant surgeon Peter Milewski, for whom he had developed an obsessive hatred after being treated by him in 1991. He accused Mr Milewski of misdiagnosing him, but an independent review found no truth in the allegation.

The sentence passed on Mr Collins comes with an eight-year tariff, which means he should be eligible for parole in 3.5 years.

Dr Peter Jackson, the trust's medical director, told HSJ: 'We would have serious worries about the safety of our staff when he is released, and we have asked to be notified when that will be.'

Mr Milewski, who has received death threats from Mr Collins, still works at the hospital: 'He is having a very difficult time.

'All of us have patients that don't like us but when they make threats like this it is very worrying, ' said Dr Jackson.