THE mother of a pregnant woman murdered in one of the North-East's most horrific crimes has backed a Northern Echo campaign for justice.

Sylvia Jobson's daughter, Lesley Fox, was strangled and killed for sexual kicks in October 1996, at her bedsit home in Pierremont Crescent, Darlington.

Her killers, Timothy Dunn, then 15 and Norman Bowen-Jones, 17, were sentenced to life imprisonment. But last week, The Northern Echo revealed that the pair, both from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, had their sentences cut and could be free in six years.

Ms Jobson, a 65-year-old retired care worker, of Darlington, was not told of Lord Woolf's High Court decision to reduce their tariffs.

She said: "I think it is ridiculous. I was not even informed that the hearing was taking place. It was a shock to find this out. When I heard, I had no life in me, I couldn't believe it.

"I have been told that it was because of the James Bulger case that they are re-assessing all of the young offenders' cases.

"I was told that these lads were so bad that they would do the full time. They were given life - but this is not life."

Ms Jobson is due to meet Health Secretary Alan Milburn in his Darlington constituency later this week, to highlight her ordeal.

She said: "I need to raise awareness and let people know what is happening in the legal system.

"How they can think of giving them a reprieve I don't know. They should never be let out. They are a danger to the public. Where is the justice in this? Life means nothing."

The Northern Echo launched the Criminal Injustice campaign after discovering the neglect of the innocent families whose lives are devastated by murder and manslaughter. It has been backed by the North of England Victims' Association.

Speaking of Ms Jobson's plight, David Hines, of the association said: "It is a national disgrace.

"Since capital punishment was abolished, the life sentence has been diluted and diluted. You can kill someone and be out in a few years. We are campaigning and fighting it all the time."