THE mother of a wealthy businessman axed to death by his escort girl lover today spoke of her devastation as the killer was cleared of his murder.

As 36-year-old Jan Charlton started a five-year jail term for the manslaughter of businessman Daniel O'Brien, his angry mother condemned the sentence and called her a liar.

Elizabeth O'Brien, mother of former Harwood tycoon Daniel, accused Charlton of slandering her son and showing no remorse over his death.

She said she was "shocked and devastated" that Charlton was cleared of murder and instead convicted of manslaughter.

Charlton will serve five years after the jury accepted that the frenzied attack followed months of abuse and provocation. She hit him 20 times on the head and shoulders with a three-foot axe. But, as Charlton was taken to jail sobbing last night, Mrs O'Brien said: "Danny has never shown violence to a soul in his entire life. Danny, my son, was the most gentle, kind, caring, generous and thoughtful son that any father or mother would wish to have."

During a six-week trial Charlton claimed to have acted in self-defence after 41-year-old Mr O'Brien threatened to kill her and her four-year-old daughter.

Charlton was jailed after Judge Norman Jones QC said she had committed a "grave offence".

He told her: "I take into account that you did not take the axe upstairs and it is only because he did so that you are here today. Nevertheless, to take a man's life, even in these circumstances, is a grave offence and can only attract a sentence of a significant number of years."

He described Charlton as a "good mother" and called Mr O'Brien a "control freak", adding: "He divorced you from your house, money and friends and tried to separate your daughter from her father."

Charlton told Leeds Crown Court that Mr O'Brien had threatened to kill her and abuse and kill her daughter, Amy.

He was found with the axe embedded in his head, lying naked, gagged, blindfolded and handcuffed at the house he shared with Charlton in Midgley, Wakefield, on May 23 last year.

The prosecution claimed that Charlton killed Mr O'Brien in "revenge" because he intended to end their relationship and return to a former girlfriend.

The jury of seven men and three women, which took 19 hours and 33 minutes to reach a verdict, cleared her of murder and found her guilty of manslaughter.

Charlton sat in the dock dressed in black. She showed little emotion as the verdict was read, staring at the floor and closing her eyes.

She broke down in tears as the sentence was passed mouthing the word "sorry" to her crying parents as she was led away.

A member of the public shouted: "You should be laughing, not crying."

Gasps were heard from the gallery as the sentence was passed. Among those present were Mrs O'Brien, Charlton's ex-husband Tony and Mr O'Brien's ex-girlfriend Lynne Golland.

Mrs O'Brien, who was wearing a black jacket and white

blouse, criticised the judge. She said: "He said this was not a case of morals and he should have concentrated on the evidence, bringing Janet Charlton, who lied throughout this case, to justice.

"The fact that she told her child to go upstairs to say goodbye to Danny knowing full well she had already killed him is beyond belief.

"Points have been raised during this trial of appalling slander and the police will support me and my son wholeheartedly in the fact that there is not a shred of evidence to uphold these claims."

Judge Jones told Charlton that O'Brien was a flawed man, having sexual encounters described as extremely depraved.

"I am satisfied the he introduced you to some of these practices although to keep him happy you were quite happy to go along with them."

Mrs O'Brien, of Longsight, Harwood, said the trial had been "extremely difficult" and added: "Everything that was said about him was appalling. Janet Charlton continued to lie throughout her time on the stand."

Asked whether she believed Charlton had shown any remorse, Mrs O'Brien said: "None whatsoever. In fact she smiled and laughed when she said she swatted him down like a fly."

Mrs O'Brien said she had met Charlton only three times and did not like her on the first occasion.

One of Mr O'Brien's former girlfriends, Lindsay Hanscomb, said he was "a wonderful human being".

She added: "Not one of Janet Charlton's family or friends came to the witness box in her defence."

Ms Hanscomb said: "Only two people know exactly what happened that day. The one remaining continues the evil disregard for life. The other cannot recount the truth."

She said Mr O'Brien's family and friends would have to suffer a "miserable and lonely" life sentence.

Ms Hanscomb said: "Danny had a smile remembered lovingly by us all, remarkably endearing blue eyes and a sense of humour which would have us all laughing uncontrollably."