One of the first Asian special constables in Keighley has called for a tough crackdown on offenders to stop a repeat of the riots.

Mo Manir, 40, says the current judicial system is far too "soft" on those people in both the Asian and white community who are hell-bent on causing trouble.

The Keighley man, who retired as a special in 1988 and was commended by the then chief constable of west Yorkshire Colin Sampson, is calling for swifter and stricter punishment to deter anyone from causing a public nuisance.

Mr Manir has also had first hand experience of life on the other side of the prison walls after serving six months in jail for assault.

He says the prison experience has made him realise the importance of providing a strong deterrent to young people.

Mr Manir says: "The reason we have this violence in the towns and cities is because of the government's softly, softly approach to the people responsible for committing these crimes.

"There's no punishment or deterrent to these people, and because of that we have seen this increase in crime over the last 25 years. The courts are becoming a soft touch for young criminals, and what they tend to do is let them off. We have given Asian and white youths the opportunity to cause havoc in the cities.

"The people who commit these crimes should be dealt with and sorted out a much younger age, not when they are 16 plus. By the time some children are 12 they are already professional criminals.

"All the white and Asian people I've been speaking to feel that it is the government which is responsible for letting these people go on the rampage. It is, at the end of the day, the innocent people who suffer and have to pay the consequences for the violence.

"There needs to be a clear, strong deterrent and I do not believe that spending millions and billions of pounds on estates is an answer

The father of three, who has been a parent governor at Greenhead High School and Eastwood Primary School, adds: "I'm sickened and horrified by the riots and I want to say that the majority of the Asian community in Keighley condemns the violence."

Mr Manir says that advances in information gathering technology such as CCTV should be used to the full to prosecute as many of those involved in the Bradford riots as possible.