Probe into 'pathetic' sentence for rapist who attacked girl, 10

Lord Goldsmith has asked for papers on the case and is considering an appeal against the terms imposed by Judge Julian Hall at Oxford Crown Court.

Window cleaner Keith Fenn, 24, was given concurrent two-year and 18-month jail sentences for two attacks on the girl in a park.

Because of the amount of time he has already spent in prison awaiting sentence, he could be free in a few months.

The Attorney General acted after Tory backbench MP Mike Penning wrote to him protesting about Fenn's treatment.

A spokesman for Lord Goldsmith said: "He has asked for the papers from the CPS so he can consider whether or not to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient."

Mr Penning said: "I'm very pleased we have got through the first stage of the process.

"I hope the Attorney General agrees with the vast majority of the country that if you want to deter paedophiles you have to give sentences which are a deterrent. Judges have to understand just how abhorrent this sort of case is."

Hemel Hempstead MP Mr Penning said he decided to intervene despite the fact that the victim was not a constituent.

He said: "This sends out all the wrong signals to paedophiles. This young lady is in care and doesn't have parents who can stand up for her, so what better job could an MP do?"

In his letter to Lord Goldsmith, Mr Penning says: "As I am sure you are aware, last week Judge Julian Hall QC sentenced Keith Fenn to what has been described as a pathetically lenient sentence for the rape of a ten-year-old child.

"Fenn will serve only four months, when the judge could have used his powers to give a much more severe sentence.

"I am appalled at the leniency of this sentence; frankly a sentence this lenient for such a serious crime makes a mockery of the legal system."

A spokesman for the Judicial Communications Office said Judge Julian Hall would not comment further on what happened in court.