A FORMER escort girl who hacked her businessman lover to death with an axe told a friend police believed he was a paedophile, a court heard today.

Jane McNamara said Jan Charlton, who has a four-year-old daughter called Amy, confided in her following the death of 40-year-old Danny O'Brien, who was hit more than 20 times with a large axe in May last year.

Mr O'Brien lived in Holme Terrace, Townsendfold, Rawtenstall, until three years ago.

Miss McNamara said: "She (Charlton) told me that the police thought that Danny was a paedophile.

"I just could not believe what she was telling me."

Miss McNamara, who said she had known Charlton for about 12 years, added: "She said the police either found something on his computer or on his files."

She added: "She was shocked. She said 'Do you think I really would have had Amy there if I'd thought that?"'

Miss McNamara told the jury at Leeds Crown Court how another friend, named only as Paula, had heard from a third friend 'I see he's done it again.'

She said: "I asked Paula what she meant by that. She said that he'd been messing about with kids again.

"Janet turned round and said 'So that's where it's come from then'."

Mr O'Brien's body was found face down in the blood-spattered bedroom of the detached house he shared with Charlton in Midgley, West Yorkshire.

He had an axe embedded in his head which was draped with a stocking and suspender belt.

The court has also heard how Mr O'Brien was blindfolded and gagged.

Charlton, 36, has admitted killing Mr O'Brien but denies murder.

She says she was acting in self-defence after he threatened to kill her and her daughter.

Charlton also claims provocation.

Miss McNamara said Charlton told her after Mr O'Brien's death that the couple had had sex that day.

She said: "She told me briefly what they'd done.

"She told me that she'd been wearing stockings and a suspender belt and that she'd also been wearing a pair of rubber gloves."

(Proceeding)