THE distraught parents of a woman bludgeoned to death by her husband as their children slept upstairs last night described plans to release him within six years as “farcical”.

THE distraught parents of a woman bludgeoned to death by her husband as their children slept upstairs last night described plans to release him within six years as “farcical”.

High Court judges ruled that chef Colin Dorey must serve at least ten years behind bars for the brutal murder of his wife Christine in 2002.

But the decision was met by condemnation by Hugh and Susan Buxton who spoke candidly about how the brutal murder had affected them and Mrs Dorey's three children Lettie , 14, Sam, 13, and seven-year-old Ellie.

Mrs Buxton told the EADT: “We are very disappointed that the tariff wasn't longer as he has destroyed so many lives.

“What we have had to go through has been unbelievable. When you get a phone call and you hear his name, you are shocked back to four and a half years ago - it never goes away from us.”

Her husband added: “From what we have been told, Christine was probably dozing when he struck the first blow - she was completely defenceless.

“He then covered her up and carried on attacking her - so a ten-year prison sentence is farcical.”

Mrs Dorey, 37, was brutally murdered by her husband as she slept in her Bury St Edmunds home in January 2002.

A trial heard how Dorey, 45, struck his wife's skull seven times with a hammer and then three times more around the jaw during the shocking incident in Bedell Close.

Since the incident, the couple's three children have lived with Mr and Mrs Buxton, who spoke of their pride in the youngsters, now left with the agonising decision of whether to visit their father when he is released from prison.

Mrs Buxton said: “The children are very well, we always talk to them about what is going on and they cope remarkably well - usually better than us.

“It is a very difficult situation for us - as much as we hate their dad and can never forgive him, we would never put an influence on them.”

Mrs Buxton revealed that Dorey was still writing to his children from prison but she was unsure whether they would ever want to see him again.

“He has tried to remind them of the wonderful times they had together but they feel that he took away all those happy memories by what he did,” Mrs Buxton said.

“Ellie once said 'I suppose he is my dad' but they are all very hurt about what has happened, especially Sam.

“To him, it is all black and white. His father killed someone and should spend the rest of his life in prison, which a lot of us feel like.”

A High Court spokesman said the recommendation of Mr Justice Wilkie was that Dorey served a term of ten years, less the seven months and 20 days he spent in custody on remand.

Dorey was convicted at Ipswich Crown Court in August 2002 and then had an appeal against the life sentence thrown out in the High Court last year.