THE father of a teenager mowed down' at a party has spoken of his hopes for the forthcoming trial but hit out at the judicial system for excluding the victims.

Harry Young, who emigrated to New Zealand with his family from Ightenhill, Burnley, four years ago, said he wanted a long sentence for the man responsible for killing his daughter Jane.

Lupine Silva, 22, is accused of murdering 16-year-old Jane after she was run down outside a house party in St Albans, Christchurch, on May 6.

Silva was also charged with the murder of Hannah Rossiter, also 16, and eight counts of wounding with intent to cause bodily harm, and six alternative charges of attempted murder.

The preliminary hearing, looking at arguments on what is legally admissable, takes place on today (November 12) with the trial due to start in April.

Mr Young said the legal process in New Zealand was too slow and failed to take the victim into account.

He said: "We feel that the legal process is similar to the UK, too slow and excludes the victims too much.

"We are hoping for a very long sentence for murder, not manslaughter in due course.

"The trial is scheduled for next April and next week is just a one day sitting to argue points of law about what will be admissible in the trial itself."

Jane, who was due to spend the Saturday night at a sleep-over at a friend's house, was about to leave the party when she was struck by a car after it ploughed into a group of teenagers killing two and injuring 10.

New Zealand police had told a previous hearing that Silva allegedly drove a Honda Integra into the crowd of up to 500 partygoers. Revellers described the scene where Jane was killed as "like a war zone".

Before moving to New Zealand Jane and her family lived on Padiham Road, Burnley, and went to Wellfield Primary School, Ightenhill, and Ivy Bank High School.

A memorial service was held in Burnley after he death and hundreds of people posted tributes on websites.