John Letts, 58, and Sally Lane, 57, benefited from the payout prior to being convicted of supporting terrorism by sending £223 in cash in September 2015. The pair were sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. They had previously condemned the Government for leaving their son in a “legal black hole” by stripping him of his British citizenship after he decided to join up with Islamic State fighters in Syria in 2014.

The Oxfordshire-based couple also branded then-home secretary Sajid Javid a “coward” over the decision.

A judge at their trial described the pair as “two perfectly decent people in custody because of the love of their child”.

Last night critics described the pay award as “extraordinary” amid fears victims of terrorism in the UK and their families are being denied legal representation.

Victims’ rights campaigner Harry Fletcher said: “It is quite extraordinary that the state spent all this money on a show trial when the purpose of the money was almost certainly to help their son get home.

“While at the same time victims of terrorist activity in the UK, again and again, receive no state legal aid, and scant compensation.”

The final bill for the trial is set to rise further says the Ministry of Justice as only “partial costs” have been collected and “some bills have been received but not yet paid”.

Letts, a Muslim convert from Oxford and dual UK-Canadian national, admitted fighting against the Syrian regime in an interview in June but said he regretted being with the “wrong people”.The 23-year-old said he would “love to go home” but admitted it was far-fetched, adding that he had “no intention of blowing [British people] up”.

He went to Syria five years ago after telling his parents he was going to Jordan to study Arabic and only revealing his true location after a few months.

Last night critics hit out at the pay award. However, a Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Without a lawyer, a defendant could argue their trial was unfair. Those who get legal aid may have to pay it back if they have the money.”

Last month it was revealed that the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber has been granted legal aid for his murder trial, while families of the victims have been left to rely on pro-bono help.

And in June, relatives of those killed in the London Bridge attack were told it was not in the public interest for them to receive state funding for legal representation at the eight-week inquest into the atrocity.

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