THE brother of a man stabbed to death by a convicted murderer in 1999 is backing a campaign by a Gwent MP to end the 'outrage' of killers being released from prison before the end of their sentences.

Royston Mills, 58, told the Argus his brother, Graham 'Budgie' Mills would have been alive today if his murderer had not been freed on licence.

Mr Mills, of Penny Crescent, Malpas, said his brother's killer should never have been released.

"People who commit murder should go to prison for the rest of their lives," he said.

"It has actually destroyed our family - it's still like a nightmare, you feel so angry every day. There are so many people like that walking the streets - it's wrong."

Mr Mills says he still fears his brother's killer will once again be released and he now wants to see the law changed.

Under the Crime and Sentences Act 2003, prisoners serving sentences of over four years can be freed on licence after serving half their sentence.

Monmouth MP David Davies is launching an early day motion today to end all forms of early release and he said the move would be the start of a long-term campaign.

He told the Argus today the current sentencing regime was a "disgrace".

He said: "The system is playing Russian Roulette with peoples' lives. Prisoners convicted of very serious, violent crimes such as robbery, rape and murder are being released back into the community to commit crimes again.

"Someone who commits murder should spend every single remaining day of their lives in prison."

'Budgie' Mills, 43, from Newport, was hacked to death by Robert Henry Davies, 47.

After Davies was sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2000, it emerged he had been convicted of the murder of model Marina Rimondi in November 1973, stabbing her 14 times on her 21st birthday.

Despite absconding from Dartmoor Prison, Davies was released on licence after serving 16 years and came back to live in Gwent in 1986.

Any further conviction would mean he had to serve the rest of his life sentence.

In 1999 he was freed on bail by Newport magistrates prior to facing trial in Cardiff crown court for a fresh charge of indecently assaulting a woman.

He jumped bail and carried out arson attacks on the homes of Budgie Mills and two relatives, who were all due to give evidence against him.

Royston Mills says he is still baffled and outraged by the decison to grant bail.

Six months later, after successfully hiding from the authorities, Robert Henry Davies hacked Mr Mills to death.

A spokeswoman for the Home Office said it wasn't considering any review of the current sentencing system.

She said: "The government has no plans to end early release.

"The early release system provides a valuable way of integrating prisoners into society with supervision, support and control and of managing the prison population."