A LEFT wing MP caused a stir during a sentencing hearing at Isleworth Crown Court by writing a letter to the judge apparently trying to influence both the conviction and the sentencing of a North Wembley woman and her sister.

The letter from John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington, was not read in court but the judge, Recorder Joanna Glynn, told counsel she had received the letter.

She said; "It is a slightly surprising document as it comes from a member of the executive to a member of the judiciary. "

Before her were Ihuma and Beatrice Ordor, who had earlier been found guilty by a jury of trying to use false passports on KLM flights travelling to Nigeria.

During their two-week trial last month, they told the court they got the passports through an immigration officer in Nigeria, sending photographs and signatures to an aunt claiming it was simply a quicker way of obtaining passports.

The jury did not believe them and they were both found guilty of using false instruments and attempting to obtain air travel by deception for themselves and for Beatrice's seven-year-old daughter on July 21 last year.

Counsel for Beatrice, Revantha Amarasinha, brushed Mr McDonnell's letter aside saying: "It has no relevance to sentence."

Nothing further was said on the subject, but as he and his fellow defence counsel, Rebekah Hummerstone, left court, they were heard saying "It's outerageous.

"What did he think he was doing?"

Beatrice Ordor, 25, of Gainsborough Road, Hayes, and Ihuma, 27 with a two-month-old baby, of Tudor Court, North Wembley, each had a 12 month prison sentence suspended for two years during which they must do 80 hours unpaid work and keep out of trouble.

Recorder Glynn told them she was suspending the sentence because of their two young children.

She said: "Passport offences are regarded very seriously by the courts in this country and they normally result in an immediate custodial sentence.

"I am going to suspend the period of imprisonment and the most important reason is that you both have young children and it would have a disproportionate effect on them."