AN MP has called for compensation for an innocent man jailed after a miscarriage of justice.

As reported, former fire chief David Bryant, of Christchurch, says he’s still waiting for compensation from the government nearly two years after he was told it would take ‘three months’.

Mr Bryant, now 69, spent three years behind bars after he was convicted of rape and handed a six-year sentence.

However, the conviction was quashed in 2016 when it was revealed his accuser is a fantasist who had admitted previously to medics he had an “extensive history” of lying.

Mr Bryant’s late wife, Lynn, helped clear her husband’s name, hiring a private investigator who discovered reports not used by Dorset Police.

Sir Christopher Chope, MP for Christchurch, has now stepped in after reading about Mr Bryant's efforts to be compensated by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

Despite making a claim for compensation in early 2018 after a High Court judge said Mr Bryant's accuser had sought "personal attention and drama", two years on, he has received nothing from the government.

Now Sir Christopher has raised the matter with the government, asking Secretary of State for Justice Robert Buckland QC how long Mr Bryant will have to wait.

Sir Christopher told the Daily Echo: "I saw [the Echo's] report during the general election campaign and thought the situation was appalling.

“It may now be March 2020 for the outcome, which is two years after he made the claim.

“My view is this is totally insensitive and unsatisfactory.

“He spent time in prison and he has gone through a family tragedy.

“I just think it is an appalling way to carry on.

“The tone of the answer to the questions is lacking any apology or understanding.

“They do not seem to have got their heads around the face he's a person who has a legitimate claim for compensation.”

As reported, Mr Bryant said in December: “I’ve no idea why it’s been held up.

"I can’t get any sense from the Ministry of Justice. My barrister’s tried umpteen times and he gets periodic updates where they say it’s under ‘active investigation’, but nothing happens."

He said he was "disillusioned with the justice system to say the least".

The MoJ said it is not yet able to give an indication of when a decision could be made.

However, in response to Sir Christopher's question, Wendy Morton, parliamentary under-secretary of state for justice, said: "Over the past weeks, the Miscarriage of Justice Application Service have been carefully reviewing all the requisite material in Mr Bryant’s case in line with the requirements of section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

"We remain hopeful of reaching a decision within the next three months."