CARL Mills has been jailed for 30 years after he was found guilty of murdering three generations of a family in a house fire.

The judge said Mills, who is from Bolton but now lives in Wales, will serve a minimum of 30 years in prison.

Mills, a jealous alcoholic, torched his teenage girlfriend's home, burning a family of three to death.

Before the fire, the 28-year-old bombarded his partner with threatening texts and, convinced she was inside with another man, warned: "I will burn your house down."

Within hours grandmother Kim Buckley, aged 46, her daughter Kayleigh, 17, and granddaughter Kimberley, six months, died in the inferno.

The blaze ripped through the family home in Coed Eva, Cwmbran, south Wales, in the early hours of September 18, last year.

Thick smoke and flames quickly spread from the main porch to the stairs, cutting off all escape routes.

Frantic neighbours watched in despair as teenager Kayleigh was seen trapped at an upstairs window screaming for help.

Baby Kimberley, born 13 weeks premature, was at home in the property for the first time after being discharged from hospital that day.

Homeless Mills, the baby's father, was living in a tent in the front garden but had been banned from seeing Kimberley unsupervised.

Mills stood unemotional and apparently uninterested as the jury at Newport Crown Court delivered three unanimous guilty verdicts.

He then sat and listened to a family victim impact statement read out to the court by prosecutor Gregory Bull QC.

Trial judge Mr Justice Wyn Williams then imposed a 30 year minimum tariff on Mills, adding: "There is no saying whether you will ever be released."

Mills sat leaning on his arm as the judge made his comments and did not bother to look up.

Family and friends then burst into applause as Mills was taken away. The judge commended them for the "great dignity" with which they had behaved throughout.

The family of the three victims said they feel "justice has been served".

They added: "Carl Mills starts a life sentence for three murders but for us, the family and friends of Kim, Kayleigh and Kimberley, our life sentence started on the 18th of September last year when three beautiful innocent people were torn from our lives.

"Our lives are never going to be the same again but we ask to be left in peace to come to terms with our losses.

"We would also like thank the police, CPS, fire service and everyone who helped bring this case to court and convict Carl Mills."

Det Supt Peter Jones, who led the investigation into the triple murder, thanked the family of the Buckleys for their "patience and dignity".

He said: “Our thoughts remain with them and our specialist officers continue to offer support.

"I would also like to thank the wider community of Coed Eva who have supported both the family and the police investigation throughout.

"I have no doubt the impact of this tragedy will continue to be felt widely amongst all of those living in the area.

 "The investigation team worked tirelessly to bring all of the incriminating evidence to court and today we have seen Carl Mills brought to justice for the horrific crimes he committed.”