ROSSENDALE and Darwen MP Janet Anderson has launced an Early Day Motion calling for a review of legislation on hate crimes following the murder of Sophie Lancaster.

Mrs Anderson made the call for hate crimes to include crimes motivated by appearance after the killers of Sophie, 20, were this week sentenced to life imprisonment.

Brendan Harris, 15, of Spring Terrace, and Ryan Herbert, 16, of Rossendale Crescent, both Bacup, killed Sophie and left her her boyfriend Robert Maltby for dead in Stubbylee Park, Bacup, last August after attacking them because they were dressed as Goths.

Harris, who was convicted after a trial last month, was ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years. Herbert, who admitted murder, received a 16-year tariff.

Mrs Anderson told the House of Commons that she was appalled by the murder of former Haslingden High School pupil Sophie and the vicious attack on Robert.

She welcomed the news that their attackers had been "appropriately dealt with by the courts".

But she called on the Government to review the scope of legislation on hate crimes and "assess whether there is a need for an amendment to include crimes perpetrated on innocent victims like Sophie and Rob merely because of their appearance."

The motion has been signed by Hyndburn MP Greg Pope, Mansfield MP Alan Meale and MP for Sunderland North, Bill Etherington.

The Home Office define hate crime as 'Any incident, which constitutes a criminal offence, which is perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by prejudice or hate.' Currently, it is classified as being motivated by an offender's hatred of someone because of their race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality or national origins, religion, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.

Nationally, in 2006-07, police reported 5,619 hate crimes in which someone was injured, 4,350 hate crimes without injury, and 28,485 cases of racially or religiously motivated harassment.

There were also 3,565 cases of criminal damage related to hate crimes.

The typical hate offender is a young white male.