THE family of a North-East journalist murdered in an unprovoked attack have reacted angrily to news that his killer's sentence has been reduced.

Timothy Smith, from Darlington, was waiting at a bus stop in Nottingham, in May last year, when he was stabbed to death by a youngster on a BMX bike.

His 16-year-old killer was sentenced to 14 years in jail, but the term has now been reduced by two years because of good behaviour after a second High Court appeal.

The family received news of the decision only days before the first anniversary of Mr Smith's death. "We feel outraged by this,"

said Mr Smith's brother, Chris, 42, an industrial designer from Darlington.

"How can stabbing a man to death in an unprovoked attack be deemed good character? It's plain ludicrous."

Mr Smith, 40, grew up in Darlington and studied at Teesside University and Darlington College before starting his career on the Rutland Times in the East Midlands.

He was working as a freelance court reporter in Nottingham, when he was murdered on May 1.

Mr Smith was waiting at a bus stop in the city centre when a youth ran into him on his bike.

He was then stabbed in the chest with a 7cm kitchen knife and left to die.

He underwent emergency surgery at the Queen's Medical Centre, in the city, but died from his injuries. His funeral was held at West Cemetery Chapel, in Carmel Road North, Darlington.

This week, Nottinghamshire Police informed the Smith family that High Court judges have ruled that the killer's sentence was "manifestly excessive".

Chris Smith said the family want senior judges and politicians to re-instate the original 14 year sentence for the youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

He said: "I thought the legal system was supposed to be getting tough on knife crime. Is this their way of getting tough?"

Mr Smith said the family was proposing to fight the decision and wants to meet Darlington MP Alan Milburn.

"We are serious about this. We are not going to let it go," he said.