AN ACCRINGTON father has spoken of his outrage at the four-month jail sentence handed out to an asylum seeker involved in a crash in which his 12-year-old daughter died.

Kurdish Iraqi Aso Mohammed Ibrahim was a banned driver who should not have been on the road when Amy Houston was fatally injured.

The court heard that he ran off after the accident, leaving Amy trapped under his car.

The sentence sparked outrage among Amy's family, who said the system had failed them and their "precious little girl".

Paul Houston, 34, of Russia Street, said: "He will be back on the streets in two months while we face a life sentence.''

And Amy's grandma Margaret Houston added: "He left that little girl to die and he is a coward who has no honour. He ran off to save his own skin, leaving Amy trapped under his car."

Mr Houston told how Amy's death had left a void in his life that he would never be able to fill.

"I couldn't have wished for a better daughter, I was so proud of her," he said. "She was a beautiful little girl, kind-natured and quite funny. She was everything a parent could ask for and I doted on her. She never asked for anything, she was happy with whatever she got."

Mr Houston, who had to be restrained by police when Blackburn magistrates announced their decision, slammed the sentence of four months as "ridiculous".

He said: "Nothing will bring Amy back but he is just laughing at the system. He'll be out in two months and no doubt he will be driving again. There's nothing to stop him because he certainly isn't going to be bothered about the consequences.

"He's laughing at the justice system and he is laughing at every decent person in this country. The police have been brilliant in the support they have given us and I can understand why they get frustrated with the legal system when something like this happens."

Magistrates were told that Ibrahim had exhausted all appeal options during his two-and-a-half years in the United Kingdom but he had not been returned to his home country because of the volatile situation that still exists there.

Ibrahim, who gave his address as St James Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance and failing to stop after an accident.

The maximum sentence the magistrates could have imposed was six months in prison but they are required to give credit for an early guilty plea.

Amy, who lived in Ravenglass Close, Blackburn, with her mother Joanne Cocker, had to be freed by firefighters from underneath a black Rover car on Monday 24 November at around 4.30pm. A police officer drove the ambulance to hospital so both paramedics could treat Amy but despite their efforts she died in hospital later that day.

John Wood, prosecuting, said that as Ibrahim approached a traffic-calming measure on Newfield Drive a boy ran across the road. Amy was following and ran into the car.

She was still trapped under the car when Ibrahim got out of the car and ran off.

"On the day of the offence he was fully aware that he should not have been on the road," said Mr Wood. "It obviously follows that had he not been on the road this tragic accident would not have happened."

Michael Blacklidge, defending, said Ibrahim accepted that what had happened was an unforgivable accident and apologised for the consequences.

"He wishes he could turn the clock back but for me to say any more would only add to the pain and hurt that people already feel," said Mr Blacklidge.

He said Ibrahim had panicked and fled the scene but had then phoned an ex-girlfriend and she had taken him to the police station where he admitted everything.