A man who savagely beat his drinking buddy to death in the porch of a village church could have his jail term increased.

Ruslan Piktorov is serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to the murder of homeless Trevor Hillman at a Maidstone Crown Court hearing last month.

The 40-year-old, who had initially denied murder before changing his plea on the first day of his trial, was told he will serve 18 years behind bars before being eligible for parole.

The minimum term was reduced from 30 years after Judge Jeremy Carey ruled Piktorov had not killed Mr Hillman, 57, for financial gain, despite hearing how he had made repeated attempts to withdraw cash from the victim’s account before and after the attack.

The Crown Prosecution Service lodged an appeal on the grounds the sentence was too lenient and the Attorney General’s office has now referred the case to London’s Court of Appeal, where three High Court judges are due to hear evidence next month.

Homeless Piktorov, formerly of Lithuania, had been drinking and eating with Mr Hillman outside St Peter and St Paul Church, off High Street, Headcorn, when he carried out the vicious and unprovoked hour-long attack in October.

He landed more than 70 blows, leaving every rib in the victim’s body broken.

Half the assault was carried out after Mr Hillman had fallen unconscious.

Piktorov also visited an ATM outside Sainsbury’s, High Street, three times and made 19 attempts to access Mr Hillman’s account and withdraw between £100 and £300.

Mr Hillman had inherited more than £20,000 several years before his death and had bought Piktorov alcohol on the night of his death.

The following morning he fled by train to London where he later handed himself into police, saying “I think I’ve killed my friend.”

When questioned by Christopher Tehrani, QC, prosecuting, during April’s hearing he offered no explanation for his actions.

Sentencing, Judge Carey said: “No sentence this court can impose can do justice to the loss of Mr Hillman.

“The impact of your crime on those who endured the shock of finding Mr Hillman and the loss of a much-loved member of the community is very severe.”