THE father of a schoolgirl who died after being knocked down by a banned driver has urged the Home Office to refuse the Iraqi's citizenship application.

Amy Houston, 12, died in November 2004 after being hit by a vehicle driven by Aso Mohammed Ibrahim.

Her father, Paul, of Argyle Street, Darwen, was left distraught after he learnt that Ibrahim, a failed asylum seeker, was planning to apply to the Home Office for UK citizenship.

The case sparked outrage when Ibrahim, of Whalley Banks, Blackburn, was jailed for four months for driving while disqualified and failing to stop after an accident.

He has never held a UK driving licence and since the accident has been caught driving while disqualifed.

However, Ibrahim has claimed he should be allowed to stay in the UK because his wife has had his baby and is pregnant with their second child.

Mr Houston, whose daughter died in Newfield Drive, Blackburn, said: "I feel it's a David and Goliath story trying to get this man deported.

"I don't want to send anyone back to their death, even the man who killed my daughter, but I believe it's safe to send him back.

"My concern is that he hasn't learnt his lesson. We have to ask questions. He's applying for citizenship. I have no problem with genuine asylum seekers.

"We have to ask, is this the sort of person we want in this country?

It's easy when you consider there's a family in Nelson who are going to be deported who have integrated.

"Why deport them and consider this man to be a citizen in this country?

"I need some closure on this. It's an insult to my daughter. I walk around the street and I'm looking over my shoulder every two minutes thinking, am I going to see this bloke?

"This is saying to any asylum seeker, find a wife, get her pregnant and marry her' "Until this has been resolved I can't move on.

"I couldn't live with myself if I sat back and picked up the Telegraph and I read he's run another child or a mother over.

"I feel so strongly about this but it's me against the immigration service and they seem to have all the cards."

Home Secretary John Reid said: "I am not going to comment on individual cases - it will be dealt with in the normal process.

"People don't want to see people deported to their death or torture.

"We continually strive to make our immigration rules more fair, more effective, and better enforced."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Home Office said: "People can make a written application against a person who is applying for citizenship.

The application is considered during the citizenship process."