The brother of a man murdered by the Duchess of York’s former assistant has spoken out after it emerged she could be sent to open prison after serving just eight years of her 12-year-sentence.

Rick Cressman, whose brother Tom was murdered by Sarah Ferguson’s former dresser Jane Andrews, spoke after claims she was going to be moved to a new facility.

Mr Cressman, who owns Nailcote Hall in Balsall Common, Warwickshire, said he had not heard anything official from the prison service regarding his brother’s killer but believed a parole hearing was due.

He said: “At the moment there’s a lot of speculation. I do know that she’s got some form of parole hearing coming up where it is possible she will be sent to a different type of prison which could include open prison conditions.

“I am hoping that we will get a chance to speak at this hearing so that our family’s views can be put forward.”

Andrews is currently serving out her sentence at Send Prison near Woking in Surrey. A national newspaper recently printed pictures of her cell which contained a number of luxuries.

Mr Cressman added: “Our family thinks that the punishment did not fit the crime. We’ve seen pictures of the prison that she’s in at the moment. She’s got a computer, television, pink bed sheets, it’s holiday camp conditions. The punishment for murder shouldn’t be a handful of years in an open prison.

“We’re serving a life sentence so we think that she should serve a life sentence as well.”

Tom Cressman, 39, was bludgeoned to death at his home in London in 2001. Andrews drove an eight-inch kitchen knife into his chest in his bedroom, after hitting him on the head with a cricket bat.

After committing the murder she went on the run and sent text messages to friends and acquaintances, including one to the Duchess of York, who sent a message back telling her to give her self up.

During her trial at the Old Bailey the court heard that Andrews had killed Cressman after he refused to marry her.

She became obsessed with Cressman, whose father owned the biggest chain of Ford dealerships in Europe, after losing her job at Buckingham Palace in 1997.

Her original sentence of 15 years was reduced two years ago to 12. She will be considered for release in 2012.