Christopher Brown, 37, was ordered to serve at least 13 years in custody after being found guilty of killing Henry White, 57, following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh last year.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service asked the Appeal Court to consider imposing a longer custodial term due to the serious nature of the offences.
The Appeal Court upheld the Crown appeal. The original punishment part has now been quashed and replaced with a minimum 17-year jail term.
While sentence is rightfully the domain of the independent judiciary, the balance of justice is served by the Crown being allowed to appeal in limited circumstances.
The Appeal Court has set a high test to be satisfied for this to happen.
The sentence must be unduly lenient, meaning it falls outside the range of sentences which the judge could reasonably have considered appropriate having taken account of all relevant factors.
Kenny Donnelly, Deputy Crown Agent for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said:
“COPFS is committed to improving the criminal justice journey for those affected by this type of serious offending, from the stage of reporting all the way through to sentencing.
“Prosecutors have a responsibility to consider appeals based upon undue leniency in sentencing.
Such appeals are rare but important to ensure the public interest is properly served.
"They allow the court to review sentences that the Crown believe fall outside the range of sentences reasonably considered appropriate.
"COPFS believes that it is important that the harm caused by crime, and the culpability of the convicted person, must be consistently reflected in sentencing decisions.”
Brown subjected Mr White to a sustained and violent assault at an address in Oakley, Fife, on 21 and 22 March 2023.
Despite being seriously injured, Brown then dragged the victim outside the property and left him to die.