The family of murdered schoolboy Jay Kensett has vowed to fight moves by his killer to cut his life sentence.

Darren Mateer, who stabbed 16-year-old Jay to death in March 1999, has launched a bid to have his 14-year prison term reviewed.

Jay's parents, Kim and John Kensett, of Brede Close, Brighton, were distraught when they received a letter from the victim support unit telling them of Mateer's review.

Mrs Kensett said: "If he gets out early it will be an insult to Jay's life. What does his life sentence mean? It means nothing.

"Getting the letter brought it all back to the night it happened. There are no words to describe how I feel. It makes me sick.

"We knew in 14 years we would have to deal with this but we did not expect to have to think about it after only seven.

"Some people can forgive and forget but we can't do that. Mateer's family can go and see their son but we have to go to a gravestone to visit Jay."

The length of time 35-year-old Mateer should spend in jail was originally decided by the Home Secretary but new laws introduced in 2003 handed sentencing of adult murderers to individual judges, making more than 2,000 prisoners eligible for review.

If the High Court chooses to grant a review, a judge will decide if the original sentence was correct. It could mean Mateer is released early from prison or his sentence could be increased.

Mr and Mrs Kensett, Jay's brothers Ross, 24, Dean, 27, and Tyrone, 20, and his sister, Jade, 18, have written heartfelt letters which will be considered by the High Court judge.

The family will be given a week's notice before the decision is announced.

More than 100 people have signed a petition urging the judge to keep Mateer behind bars for the rest of his life.

Members of the Crew Club, a youth group set up after Jay died, intend to hold a protest outside the High Court.

Mrs Kensett said: "We don't want people's sympathy - we just want to do this for Jay. He was only 16.

"We can't watch him have children, we can't watch him drive his first car. He had a girlfriend and a job and everything to live for."

Mr Kensett added: "We have our justice system but parents should have the right to say if someone is allowed out early. We want him to rot in prison and sit there every day knowing he will never get out."

Jay, a promising young footballer, was attacked by Mateer, from Whitehawk, following a celebration with friends after he scored four goals for Marina High, his former school.

His friends watched him die in their arms from stab wounds to his heart and a lung. The family had moved to the area only ten months before so Jay could be nearer to his school friends.

Mrs Kensett said: "Not a day goes by when we don't think about Jay. When his friend came running to the door that night I thought he was just hurt. I didn't expect to see what I saw.

"Your life changes in ten minutes. We had to bury our own son, think about what flowers to get and what he would wear.

"No one expects to have to do that. One minute you are a happy family, the next you are picking a plot for your son in the cemetery."