Paris Hilton's mother Kathy has hit out at a judge's decision to send her daughter to jail, branding the ruling "a joke." The 26-year-old socialite was sentenced to 45 days in prison by Judge Michael T. Sauer at Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, after she was found guilty of violating her probation on an alcohol-related reckless driving charge.

But Kathy, who joined the hotel heiress in court with her husband Rick, has voiced her anger at the shocking sentence, which was handed down to Paris for driving her Bentley with a suspended license in February.

She fumes, "This is pathetic and disgusting, a waste of taxpayer money with this nonsense. It's a joke."

Hilton's lawyer, Howard Weitzman adds the sentence was "uncalled for, inappropriate and bordered on the ludicrous". He says, "I'm shocked, I'm surprised and disheartened in the system that I've worked in for close to 40 years. I think she's singled out because of who she is."

Hilton will begin her jail stint at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Los Angeles County on June 5.