The sentence for a youth who murdered a Sussex vicar and cut up his body has been referred to the Appeal Court as 'unduly lenient'.

Christopher Hunnisett, 18, was convicted of the murder of the Reverend Ronald Glazebrook in June and sentenced to at least five-and-a-half years behind bars.

He drowned the 81-year-old clergyman in the bath, hacked him into pieces and, with his friend Jason Groves, buried him in locations around Hastings and Bexhill.

Hunnisett committed the murder in April 2001 when he was 17.

On June 21 this year, the judge at Lewes Crown Court ordered Hunnisett to be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure but recommended he should serve at least five-and-a-half years, less the 432 days already spent in custody.

Groves, who admitted conspiring to prevent the lawful burial of the priest, was sent to a young offenders' institution for two years.

Now the Crown Prosecution Service is asking for Hunnisett's sentence to be increased.

Sussex's chief crown prosecutor Alison Saunders said: "Hunnisett planned the murder in a cold, callous and calculated way and betrayed the trust of Mr Glazebrook who helped Hunnisett by letting him stay in his home as he was experiencing personal problems.

"Mr Glazebrook clearly felt Hunnisett was a decent boy who needed help. He gave him a taste of some good things in life which, due to their deteriorating relationship, were about to be taken away. Mr Glazebrook wanted him to leave his house.

"We thought it was right his sentence should be referred to the Court of Appeal for review as being unduly lenient. The Attorney General agreed and he has now sent details of the case to the court.

"We hope they will endorse our and Sussex Police's belief that this sentence was too lenient for the trauma and pain suffered by the family."

Hunnisett had been staying with the elderly priest at Dane Road, St Leonards, with Mr Glazebrook acting as his "guardian angel".

However, there was a deterioration in their relationship before the murder and Hunnisett was worried he would be thrown out.

When Hunnisett was convicted, Mr Glazebrook's daughter Christine Freeman described him as "a dangerous man, cold and calculating".