SHE was their beloved daughter – and her life was brutally taken away by the man who was supposed to love and cherish her.

Ted and Jayne Humphrys’ world changed forever after Paul Cowdrey gunned down their 25-year-old daughter Emma.

The murder happened on November 7, 1996, at the home that the killer, his victim and their six-year-old son shared in Rotherwick.

But despite being jailed for life after being found guilty of murder at Winchester Crown Court – a charge he denied throughout the trial – former estate agent Cowdrey has now been released from prison.

In an exclusive interview with The Gazette, Emma’s parents – who now live in Basingstoke – said they cannot ever forgive Cowdrey.

They feel the legal system has allowed the convicted killer to be released from prison far too soon. He is now free to get on with his life – just over 12 years after the horrific murder.

Mr Humphrys, 64, Emma’s stepfather, said: “Our feelings have not changed in 12 years. We still feel the same bitterness over what he did and what he took away from us.

“Time has not made it any easier because the longer it has gone on, the closer it has got to him coming out of prison.”

Mr Humphrys added: “We will never be able to forgive him – there’s no possible chance of that.”

Cowdrey denied murdering his wife – he shot her in the face and head – throughout the crown court trial in July 1997, claiming instead that he had intended to use his shotgun to kill himself, but in a moment of madness, shot his wife instead.

At the time, a life sentence meant a prisoner would be eligible for parole after a period set by the Home Secretary, according to the prisoner’s future risk to the public. In this case, the period was 12 years including the time Cowdrey had spent in custody.

This statute changed with the passing of the Criminal Justice Act of 2003, which allowed judges to set minimum life sentences of 15 years, 30 years or life imprisonment.

Despite this change in the law, Mr and Mrs Humphrys believe it must be altered again so murderers receive a higher minimum sentence or life imprisonment.

Mrs Humphrys, 57, said: “As far as we were concerned, the punishment was a life sentence and that should be a minimum of 20 years.

“If you compare Cowdrey’s sentence with some being given now it was very light.

“I know he got 12 years, and because he has been a model prisoner he has been let out, but that still does not make it any easier for us.”

Cowdrey, who is believed to be in a bail hostel in Hampshire, will remain on licence for the rest of his life but if he stays out of trouble, he will remain a free man.

Mr and Mrs Humphrys plan to write to Basingstoke MP Maria Miller to ask for her support with their campaign to make life sentences mean a minimum of 20 years or a whole life behind bars.

After Emma’s death, Mr and Mrs Humphrys sold their retirement home in Selbourne, East Sussex to move to Odiham, to look after their grandson.

The couple spent four years fighting a High Court custody battle for him costing £80,000 after Cowdrey launched a legal bid from jail.

The Humphrys said their grandson has not visited his father since his conviction, but they would have supported him if he’d chosen to.

Mr Humphrys added: “He is a well-adjusted young man and does things every normal teenager would do.”