A TEENAGER who escaped jail after stabbing an Accrington man to death could be put behind bars for breaching the conditions of her sentence by returning to the town.

Sophie Holbrook, formerly of Royds Avenue, Accrington, was given a three-year community rehabilitation order in December after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of her mother's boyfriend, 34-year-old Ken Embley.

He died after Holbrook, then 16, plunged a knife into his neck.

The court was told that at the time of the attack Holbrook was suffering from an abnormality of the mind, known as an adjustment disorder.

The judge, Mr Justice Holland, took what he described as an "exceptional step" in handing out the community rehabilitation order. The sentence also included a six-month curfew and intensive supervision by the probation service.

The conditions of Holbrook's sentence included living at an address outside the area but there have been reports of her being seen in Accrington in recent weeks, leaving Mr Embley's family with the nightmare prospect of bumping into her in the street.

His devastated parents Jimmy and Marion, who blasted the original sentence as a "farce", said they were horrified.

Marion said: "I just cannot believe that she was in Accrington. She has gone back out of the area now but I don't know how long for.

"She was told by the judge that if she broke any part of her sentence she would be sentenced again and it would be long-term imprisonment.

"The judge has given her a massive chance considering what she has done and she has blown it. We are not just talking about a shoplifter here, she has committed this heinous crime.

"I cannot understand why was she allowed to walk away from her new home in Yorkshire and come back to Accrington. It is a load of nonsense, all this stuff about her age. She was old enough to put a knife in my son's neck and she knows what she has done.

"It totally beggars belief. I want to see her behind bars for as long as possible. She should not be allowed to walk the streets."

Holbrook has since returned to an address outside the Accrington area and is expected to be brought back before Preston Crown Court.

Detective Inspector Paul Withers said: "Sophie Holbrook has breached her community rehabilitation order by moving back to Accrington for a short time.

"She has now gone back to an address outside the area and is currently complying with the order. I suspect she will be brought back to court in relation to this breach."