BOLTON politician Dr Brian Iddon has written to the Attorney General to express his "intense anger at the arrogance of our court system".

The MP's outburst came after a hit and run driver who killed a Farnworth man had his jail sentence increased by one year in the Court of Appeal.

The victim's family had intended to attend the court, but were denied the opportunity by an administration error -- which left them unaware the appeal had gone ahead in London until almost two weeks later.

Now, Dr Iddon has said he will raise the issue in Parliament and is demanding a full inquiry as to how the situation was allowed to arise.

The extension was made to a 30-month sentence passed on Anthony Wynne, 31, from Walkden. Wynne was the driver of a car which ploughed into a motorbike, driven by Gareth Willis, 29, in Little Hulton back in May 1999.

Mr Willis was left with fatal injuries and his son, Joseph, who had been riding pillion, was also hurt.

Wynne, who had been drinking earlier in the day, had no licence and admitted failing to stop after the accident. The 30-month sentence handed to him by a Manchester Crown Court judge was split in half, with 15 months suspended so he could perform community service.

In his letter to the Attorney General, Dr Iddon writes: "Gareth's parents had persuaded the CPS (Salford Branch) to launch an appeal against sentence, and desperately wanted to present their evidence to the Appeal Court in London through the CPS Barrister. Therefore, please imagine my intense anger at the total arrogance of our Court system when Geoff Willis telephoned me to say that the CPS in Salford had just informed him that the case was heard without the family's knowledge on November 16. Apparently CPS London wasn't informed of the court listing either, which meant that the briefed barrister was not present to present the family's case. That evidence might have influenced the sentenced recorded.

"The only evidence given again was on behalf of the hit and run driver. Admittedly his sentence was increased, but the point is that it may have been increased further had all the evidence been presented.

"The family feel extremely let down by so-called British justice, and I will have no alternative now but to raise this issue in the House, probably as an Adjournment Debate following the Queen's Speech."