THE mother of computer hacker Gary McKinnon has welcomed a personal intervention by Prime Minister Gordon Brown appealing against his extradition.

The Labour PM made a direct appeal to US officials for the Enfield resident to enter a guilty plea and statement of contrition to be allowed to face justice in the UK.

Janis Sharp, the 44-year-old's mother, today welcomed the intervention which was made in August last year and revealed in the cables released this morning by website WikiLeaks.

Ms Sharp said: “I was very surprised and very pleased, and I wish I had known about that because we would have given him credit for it.”

Mr Brown's appeal was rebuffed by the Obama administration, and goes against public statements by the Labour government that it was a legal issue and politicians would not get involved.

Ms Sharp, giving evidence to the Parliamentary Home Affairs Committee on extradition arrangements between the US and Britain, called on the coalition to live up to promises made prior to May.

She said: “Nick Clegg said Gary could be kept in the UK, David Cameron said he could be kept here, Dominic Grieve, and Chris Huhne also.

“I'm sure these people wouldn't use a vulnerable man just in order to be re-elected, that would be horrendous. I'm sure they will keep their word and have the strength to say no.”

The fate of Mr McKinnon, who is accused of causing several thousand dollars of damage by hacking into US computer systems in 2001 and 2002, is in the hands of Home Secretary Theresa May who is currently reviewing the case.