A FAMILY battling to put a brutal killing behind them today condemned the woman at the centre of it.

Relatives of Tony Charlton united to attack his former wife Janet, who has just told her sordid story in a national magazine.

And they said that many of the former escort girl's claims would do nothing but harm to her seven-year-old daughter, Amy, now being cared for by her father after a bitter legal battle.

Tony Charlton is bound by legal restrictions from talking about the sensational case in which his former wife bludgeoned her lover to death with an axe.

Charlton, 39, was convicted of the manslaughter of Mr Danny O'Brien at the luxury home they shared at Midgley, near Flockton.

But she served less than two years in jail.

Now she has told her story - detailing the sordid sex life she shared with Mr O'Brien and her feelings for her daughter, who was called Olivia in the article.

But her claims have caused anguish to Mr Charlton's family.

His mother, Mrs Carol Hunter, who now lives in Cyprus, said: "She is doing all she can to try and get sympathy. But she is a selfish and manipulative woman.

"No matter what Mr O'Brien did, or what sort of person he was, no-one deserves to die as he did.

"She claimed he made her do all sorts of terrible things - but she could have walked away at any time. No-one makes you do anything you do not want to.

"The upset she has caused all along has been terrible. It will haunt my grand-daughter and the rest of our family for the rest of our lives."

Mrs Hunter moved to Paphos with her husband, Ian, 20 months ago.

She said: "As a family we have not commented on any of the court proceedings and associated newspaper stories - until now.

"My son and his new partner, Sue, have spent tens of thousands of pounds on trying to protect my grand-daughter from this so-called loving mother, who thought nothing of letting a three-year-old witness this brutal killing.

"Janet Charlton was given Legal Aid, although she had the profits from the sale of her house in the bank.

"But my son had to fight to get counselling for his daughter to be helped over this traumatic time.

"There are many single mothers who struggle on small amounts of money with little financial assistance, but would not resort to working as an escort.

"Janet Charlton owned her own house and car outright and had a generous maintenance agreement - with which her first purchase was breast implants, with surgery performed at Harley Street. But she was still not satisfied.

"Has Janet Charlton ever stopped to think of the distress she has caused - and is still causing - her daughter and Danny O'Brien's aged mother? He can't refute her story because she killed him."

Tony Charlton's brother, James, 27, also hit out.

He said: "Tony is not allowed to stand up for himself and put right the things that have been said.

"He has been through Hell, having been questioned for many hours and treated as a suspect.

"Our distress is for Tony. But we are a strong family and we hope to come through this."