PRIME MINISTER Tony Blair is being asked to appear before a Weymouth court to answer questions on his running of the war against Iraq.

The move is being made by the family of a Royal Marine kiled in the conflict.

Father-of-two Sgt Les Hehir, 34, died in a helicopter crash near the Iraqi border in March 2003.

His mother-in-law, Pat Blackburn, who lives near Dorchester, is now being prosecuted for withholding £15,000 in income tax as a protest over the conflict.

Mrs Blackburn says she won't pay her bill until the Prime Minister either reveals details of Iraq's alleged stockpile of weapons of mass destruction or resigns.

She will name Mr Blair to appear as a witness when she appears at Weymouth County Court.

Speaking exclusively to the Echo, she said: "If Tony Blair can visit Weymouth to campaign before the election for Jim Knight, he can return to appear in court.

"I fully expect to be standing in the dock with the Prime Minister in court.

"A summons is a summons and apparently no one in this country is meant to be above the law."

Sgt Hehir, of Parkstone, was one of six British servicemen attached to 3 Commando Brigade aboard an American helicopter when it came down in Kuwait.

His widow Sharon described his death at the time as the 'worst blow imaginable'.

Sgt Hehir left two sons, Oliver, now seven, and William, now five.

Businesswoman Mrs Blackburn said she decided to withhold income tax after writing to Mr Blair on numerous occasions and receiving a handwritten reply.

In it, the Prime Minister says he is willing to send Mrs Blackburn details of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Mrs Blackburn, who has since paid her tax to an independent stakeholder, said: "Tony Blair has not kept his word when he wrote to us - no reply, no evidence, no information.

"In the meantime, thousands of people are being murdered and our Prime Minister cannot be honourable and resign.

"I don't want to go to jail over this but I feel this is the only thing I can do to get justice."

Mrs Blackburn says she plans to appear in court unrepresented so she can ask Mr Blair questions directly. "I'm not really for or against wars and apparently Saddaam Hussein was an odious and despicable person, but his personality wasn't the reason for us going to war.

"I believe we have been misled - if I had my way Tony Blair, George Bush and Saddam Hussein would all be in the same dock."

Depending on the result of the hearing, expected to take place in the next couple of months, Mr and Mrs Blackburn plan to take the case to a higher court.

The couple say their protest is not politically motivated. Mrs Blackburn's husband, Robert said: "It doesn't matter to us which party was in power when this happened, it's not about that. But the way things have been handled is a disgrace and Tony Blair must be held accountable."

He added: "On election day we went to our polling station in Tolpuddle and spoiled our ballots in protest because we didn't feel represented."

Mrs Blackburn said her daughter Sharon 'adored' her husband Les who had been involved with the military since he was a teenager.

She said: "Les was a lovely person, he was a loving husband, father and son and he is so terribly missed."

A Downing Street spokesman said: "As this is an ongoing case, we cannot comment at this time."