A PLEA to review the sentence of a paedophile bus driver who filmed himself raping a schoolboy has been rebuffed by the country's top judge.

Pervert Paul O'Brien, aged 41, of Tonge Moor, was jailed indefinitely after admitting a catalogue of sexual offences against the boy in July.

O'Brien made friends with the boy's parents and often abused the boy on a Blue Bus as he drove round Bolton.

Mobile phone images of the abuse were discovered by O'Brien's girlfriend at their Bolton home.

He pleaded guilty to 17 sexual offences - including two counts of sexual assault, one count of sexual activity in the presence of a child, one count of rape, and 10 counts of making indecent images.

He was ordered to serve a minimum of six years behind bars, but, after an appeal in January, judges varied his sentence to allow him to seek parole after five years.

Lindsay Hoyle, MP for Chorley, where the boy's family now lives, wrote to the Lord Chief Justice to ask for the minimum tariff to be increased.

He was told earlier this month that the decision would be upheld.

Mr Hoyle said: "I received a letter from the Lord Chief Justice, which, although it was full of sympathy for this boy and his family, explained that there was nothing he was prepared to do about the case following the appeal.

"I still feel a sense of injustice about this and will continue to campaign for tougher sentences for sex offenders through parliament.

"It was a horrific crime which has ruined the life of a young boy and his family."