Lord Chancellor's son jailed

Irvine will be deported after he serves his sentence

The son of the Lord Chancellor Derry Irvine has been jailed by a US court for stalking and threatening to shoot a teenager.

Alastair Irvine, 25, was sentenced to 16 months by the Superior Court in Newport Beach, California, on Thursday.

He targeted 19-year-old Karel Taska after becoming obsessed with his girlfriend, Nicole Healy.

The couple are said to have been so terrified by Irvine that they moved home and quit their college courses.

Lord Irvine is said to be standing by his son

Irvine, who flew to the US for help with a drug problem, pleaded guilty to six charges, including stalking and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.

During the case, the court heard that Irvine began stalking Mr Taska after he took an interest in Ms Healy, who told him that she had a boyfriend.

Irvine threw acid on Mr Taska's truck and went into the tanning salon where Ms Healy worked with a gun in his waistband, threatening to hurt Mr Taska.

Irvine, who has already served four months in Orange County Jail, will now spend the rest of his sentence in a state prison.

I couldn't guarantee to him and his family that he would win

James Riddet
Irvine's lawyer

Once his sentence is finished he will be deported immediately to the UK, his lawyer, James Riddet, said.

His father, the head of the judiciary in England and Wales and a close friend of Prime Minister Tony Blair, is said to be standing by his son.

Mr Riddet said his client was relieved by the sentence, adding: "If we had gone to trial and lost he would have served a minimum of five years and could have got 16 years.

"I couldn't guarantee to him and his family that he would win."

The Orange County District Attorney's Office, which prosecuted the case, described the sentence as "very fair but firm".