A DISTRAUGHT father today spoke of his family's life sentence of heartache after his daughter was killed by a car driven by a disqualified driver.

And outraged Paul Houston said the system had failed his "precious little girl" after the asylum-seeker motorist who ran from the scene was jailed for four months.

Amy Houston, 12, who lived in Ravenglass Close, Blackburn, with her mother Joanne Cocker, had to be freed by firefighters from underneath a car after running into the road near her home at around 4.30pm on Monday November 24.

Blackburn magistrates heard that 25-year-old Kurdish Iraqi, Aso Mohammed Ibrahim, who was a disqualified driver, ran off leaving the girl trapped under his black Rover.

A police officer drove the ambulance to hospital so both paramedics could treat Amy but despite their efforts she died in hospital later that day.

The court was told that Ibrahim had exhausted all appeal options during his two-and-a-half years in the United Kingdom but had not been returned to his home country because of the volatile situation that still exists there.

Ibrahim, of St James Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance and failing to stop after an accident. The maximum sentence the magistrates could have imposed was six months in prison but they are required to give credit for an early guilty plea.

"He will be back on the streets in two months while we face a life sentence," said Mr Houston, 34.

"He left that little girl to die and he is a coward who has no honour," said Amy's grandma Margaret Houston. "He ran off to save his own skin leaving Amy trapped under his car."

Mr Houston, of Russia Street, Accrington, told how Amy's death

had left a void in his life that he would never be able to fill.

"I couldn't have wished for a better daughter, I was so proud of her," he said. "She was a beautiful little girl, kind natured, quiet, funny. She was everything a parent could ask for and I doted on her. She never asked for anything. She was happy with whatever she got."

Mr Houston, who had to be restrained by police when the magistrates announced their decision, slammed the sentence of four months as "ridiculous."

"Nothing will bring Amy back but he'll be out in two months.

"The police have been brilliant in the support they have given us and I can understand why they get frustrated with the legal system when something like this happens."

John Wood, prosecuting, said that as Ibrahim approached a traffic calming measure on Newfield Drive a boy ran across the road. Amy was following and ran into the car.

He said she was still trapped under the car when Ibrahim got out of the vehicle and ran off.

He said Ibrahim was already on bail for offences of driving while disqualified and was subject to two separate disqualifications, one imposed in June and the other in October.

"The prosecution say that on the day of the offence he was fully aware that he should not have been on the road," said Mr Wood.

"It obviously follows that had he not been on the road this tragic accident would not have happened."

He said Ibrahim had exhausted all rights of appeal against deportation on November 28 2002.

Michael Blacklidge, defending, said Ibrahim accepted that what had happened was an unforgivable accident and apologised for the consequences.

"He wishes he could turn the clock back but for me to say any more would only add to the pain and hurt that people already feel," said Mr Blacklidge.

He said Ibrahim had panicked and fled the scene but had the phoned an ex-girlfriend and she had taken him to the police station where he admitted everything.