A desperate father who snapped and killed his teenage daughter after he was unable to cope with her severe anxiety problems has been detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act.

Richard Kray strangled 19-year-old Olivia and then tried to do the same to her mother Damyantee “Sheila” Cowan.

Judge Philip Statman made a “hybrid” order, which will mean the 64-year-old former soldier will go to prison for 10 years, minus the time spent being treated in a psychiatric hospital. He would serve half before being released on licence.

Maidstone Crown Court heard after both attacks Kray went to Herne Bay police station and confessed.

Kray, a carer for autistic children in a special school, denied murder and his guilty plea to manslaughter by diminished responsibility was accepted. He also admitted attempted murder.

In a statement issued after the sentencing, Olivia's family said they had "no doubt" she would have recovered from her issues and had a great future, had it not been taken away from her.

They said: "Olivia was a bright and beautiful young lady

"Olivia was a wonderful daughter, niece, cousin and best friend and we miss her dearly" - Olivia Kray's family

"Six months ago she was taken unnecessarily from her family and we miss her every day.

"Olivia was caring towards others and when you needed her help she would do the best she could for you.

"Olivia was a wonderful daughter, niece, cousin and best friend and we miss her dearly.

"We have no doubt in our minds that in time Olivia would have recovered from her health issues and would have had a great future ahead of her.

"Olivia was an intelligent woman and talented musician. She loved animals and would have had a thriving career in this area.

"We will never have the opportunity to see this as her life was cut too short in what can only be described as an atrocious and cowardly act.

"Her mother who has lost her only daughter has shown great strength and dignity throughout this whole ordeal.

With the sentencing happening today we just want to ensure that justice is done for Olivia and her mother and then for us as family to rebuild the gap that Olivia’s passing has left in our lives. Thank you."

The judge described the case as "unique" and "terrible and tragic".

"I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that she loved you and in return that you loved her," he said.

"I am sure that every single day whatever the sentence of this court, he will think of what he has done."

Prosecutor Simon Taylor said Kray had made efforts to help and care for his daughter.

Judge Statman said in passing sentence there was a need to look at the mental health of Kray, Olivia and Miss Cowan.

Olivia, who was eight when her parents separated, had a high level of anxiety, involving a “mixed personality disorder and anxiety avoidance and dependent traits” and an obsessive disorder.

“On any view, Olivia had considerable needs,” said the judge.”You supported her, as any good father would, and you spent a vast period of time with her.

“You tried to seek out the best treatment possible, both from the NHS and from private counselling. You tried to the best of your ability and within the framework of the income you had.”

In the nine years leading up to her death, Olivia would constantly text and phone her father. In the final year her needs became even more intense.

“It is clear to me you were struggling to cope as 2017 progressed,” said Judge Statman.

The relationship with Ms Cowan came to an end “with great fortitude and balance”. Her victim statement was “measured and dignified”.

Kray served his country in Northern Ireland and the work he later did as a carer was highly demanding.

As Olivia became more demanding, his mental health deteriorated while trying to hold down his highly responsible and difficult job.

“I have no doubt in my mind the sense of despair you felt in the weeks leading up to these offences,” said the judge.

“I have no doubt from what I read from your family you had lost interest in life.

“You were an extremely talented musician and teacher of music. That had all come to an end.”

"I have no doubt in my mind the sense of despair you felt in the weeks leading up to these offences" - Judge Statman

After his arrest, Kray was depressed and suicidal, declaring he just wanted to die.

Doctors believed the offences involved a unique set of circumstances which were unlikely to be repeated.

“No one suggests this is a case of mercy killing,” said Judge Statman. “I am quite clear he has shown remorse. I am satisfied this is a case that calls for a hybrid order.”

Prosecutor Simon Taylor said Kray had made efforts to help and care for his daughter.

Doctors described her anxiety as "severe, always needing her father with her whenever she wanted to go out", adding: "Mr Kray and Sheila had reached the end of their tether with her".

By March last year Kray was telling those treating Olivia he could not cope with her behaviour.

The next month he was signed off sick from work with exhaustion because of Olivia’s high dependency on him.

Mr Taylor said an example was on April 29 Olivia called the Community Health Trust nine times and the police once because her father had left her for a break.

On May 11 and 12 she made eight calls to the police and two to the trust about the whereabouts of her father.

“It is clear the pressure was taking its toll on Mr Kray,” Mr Taylor told Maidstone Crown Court.

He told his sister Janice Wallace “It would be easier to kill the three of them” as he could not see any future.

Mr Taylor said it was presumably a reference to himself, Olivia and Miss Cowan.

After strangling Olivia he went to Miss Cowan’s home in Gordon Road when she was not there.

After she arrived, Kray told her Olivia was upstairs. As she went to go upstairs Kray grabbed her neck with both hands.

Mr Taylor said Kray made a deep growling noise as he pressed hard on her neck.

Miss Cowan described being frozen with panic when Kray was strangling her.

“She couldn’t breathe and genuinely thought the defendant was going to kill her,” he said.

“He continued to hold her neck. She describes it as feeling like it lasted for half an hour, and explained at one point he led her from the lounge into the hallway while still holding her neck.

“He then released his grip on her neck and put his hands over her mouth. She began to struggle and cried out to let her see her daughter.”

The victim kicked out at a radiator and eventually managed to break free. Kray picked up a cushion and she believed he was going to smother her.

But she ran out the back door and fled to the police station.

"This is a deeply sad case, where a man, failing to see a way of managing ongoing issues with mental health, has instead chosen to kill his own daughter" - Detective Chief Inspector Ivan Beasley

While Miss Cowan was at the police station Kray walked in and declared: “You can arrest me. I’ve killed her.”

He added: “Yeah, yeah, in Herne and I came round to kill Sheila as well, but she was too strong for me and I couldn’t do it - and that’s the top and bottom of it.

"I’m just at my wit’s end with her and everything and my mental health problems, and disturbing the neighbours honestly.”

Kray then told how Olivia was lying dead in the caravan.

“We’ve had months and months and months of mental health problems with my daughter and Sheila, and it just come to a head and I couldn’t stand it any more, and I just did it.

“And I come round here as cold as you like to do it to her as well, and I couldn’t.”

After his arrest, he replied: “I’m guilty. I couldn’t let her suffer any more, so I just, I know it sounds callous, but I couldn’t think of anything else to do. I’m at my wit’s end for months and months. I know it’s no excuse.

“I just blacked out. I knew what I was doing.”

He told another officer: “I’ve killed my daughter. My daughter’s dead. I strangled her.

"I didn’t intend Sheila to live. I just had it with her mainly. She’s made malicious phone calls to all my family, to all my work places, and I’ve just lost the plot.”

He told the custody sergeant: “I want to die.”

After killing his daughter, he had called his sister and stated: “Jan, I’ve done a terrible thing. I have killed Livvy. She is laying across the bed.”

Police and an ambulance crew went to the caravan park in the afternoon and found Olivia’s lifeless body on a bed. CPR was performed for 43 minutes to no avail.

Kray, who suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, will be treated in a secure unit at the Trevor Gibbens Unit at Maidstone Hospital and when and if his treatment was complete, he would be transferred to prison.

He was sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter and eight years concurrent for attempted murder.

After the hearing, senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Ivan Beasley said: "This is a deeply sad case, where a man, failing to see a way of managing ongoing issues with mental health, has instead chosen to kill his own daughter and tried to kill another.

"It is a wretched decision, which will stay with Richard Kray for the rest of his life.

"My thoughts are with the family and I thank them for their support through this case."