A FORMER escort girl jailed for five years for hacking an East Lancashire businessman to death has been granted leave to appeal against her sentence.

Jan Charlton, aged 36, was earlier this year cleared of murdering former Rossendale tycoon Daniel O'Brien, but found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court of his manslaughter on the grounds of provocation.

The court heard that Charlton struck her victim 20 times with an axe at his home in Midgley, Wakefield, West Yorkshire in May last year.

The 40-year-old businessman was found in his blood-splattered bedroom with an axe embedded in his head, naked, handcuffed, gagged and blindfolded.

A suspender belt and a pair of stockings were hung over the blood-stained weapon and a leather whip lay nearby.

Mr O'Brien was a popular member of the Townsendfold community in Rawtenstall where he is still fondly remembered.

The respected businessman made his fortune when he sold his gas repair and fixture company, Care & Repair. He lived in Holme Terrace, Townsendfold, until three years ago.

Even when his work commitments took him to West Yorkshire, he kept his home in Rossendale and he was a regular at the Whitchaff Inn, in Bury Road.

Charlton and Mr O'Brien first met through an escort agency and she later moved into his detached house with her three-year-old daughter Amy.

Charlton claimed in court that she had acted in self-defence after Mr O'Brien threatened to hurt her and Amy.