�A 16-year-old who stabbed a dad three times in a daylight attack has been sentenced to 60 hours of unpaid work.

“Shocked” Dagenham and Rainham MP Jon Cruddas has called for an urgent meeting with Justice Secretary Ken Clarke to discuss the sentence.

In June last year, a group of schoolboys tried to rob two other teenage boys, who had just left cricket practice, in Parsonage Road, Rainham. The boys fled and phoned their father to rescue them.

Their 46-year-old dad, a local man, confronted a group in grassland at the end of Farm Road, and was stabbed in the shoulder and back.

The 16-year-old, from Romford, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, and affray.

On Wednesday March 28 he was sentenced by Basildon Crown Court to 60 hours unpaid work, a three month curfew order, 18 months supervision and 18 months rehabilitation.

A 16-year-old from South Ockenden and two 17-year-olds from Rainham pleaded guilty to affray and were given 10 month referral orders on the same day.

All four had originally been charged with two counts of attempted robbery, but the judge accepted the lesser charge.

The Recorder is not allowed to name the defendants for legal reasons.

Mr Cruddas said: “I must admit to being shocked at the sentencing. Having spoken at length with the victim’s family, he did, in my eyes, what any normal father would have done – protect his family.

“It is what I would have done. To my mind we are fortunate that no-one died that day.

“It is a residential area and people should feel safe enough to go to cricket practice without threats from a gang.

“I am trying to sort out an urgent meeting with Ken Clarke the Justice Secretary, the victim and myself so that we can fully register our concerns with the system and the sentencing.”

Danny O’Brien, founder of the group Anti-Knife UK, said: “I work with lots of victims in my group, and this one must now have scars and I should think trauma too. And what about his family? The trauma for victims doesn’t just go way after the court case.

“If you’re 16 and carrying a knife, you know what you’re doing.”