The blackmailer who was found dead in a psychiatric hospital while waiting to be sentenced had been granted leave to appeal against her conviction, her solicitor revealed today.

Former beauty queen Carolyn Pick, 36, of Cairnsmore Drive, Lambton, Washington was found dead on Friday.

Hours later her solicitor Barry Row received confirmation from the Court of Appeal that she could launch a legal bid to clear her name.

Mr Row said: ''It is very sad not knowing the first stage to clear her name had been granted. ''She had been worried about going to prison. We only heard about leave to appeal being granted on Friday."

Mr Row said he sympathised with his client's family and said it was now up to them to decide whether to continue with the legal proceedings to clear Ms Pick's name.

She was found guilty at Newcastle Crown Court in October last year of two counts of blackmailing a former international footballer, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, after she threatened to go public with a tape she claimed was of them having phone sex.

She was held in custody at St Luke's hospital, Middlesbrough, while awaiting sentence and was made subject of an interim hospital order while a psychiatric report was prepared.

Updated: 16.13 Tuesday, April 24