JAILED soccer chairman Owen Oyston has made the first step in his fight for freedom.

The millionaire owner of Blackpool Football Club, serving six years for the rape and indecent assault of a 16-year-old model, has lodged an appeal against his conviction.

He now faces a waiting game before he and his lawyers are given a date on which they can present their case. Oyston's wife Vicki said: "It's a case of joining the end of the queue and waiting. We don't have a clue how long it will be, but his case won't be given priority, that is given to those who are nearing the end of their sentence."

Vicki visited her husband on Tuesday night (June 18), a week after he was transferred from Walton Jail in Liverpool to medium to low security Wymott Prison, and found him to be in good health.

"Obviously, he was pleased about the appeal being lodged," she said. "He was full of business talk and he looked well."

The events leading up to Oyston's case were the subject of a television documentary scheduled to go out on Channel Four on Wednesday (June19) which has been put on hold following the appeal.

Director Dominique Walker and a production team followed Oyston for several weeks before and during his last trial at Liverpool Crown Court, were given access to Claughton Hall and taped lengthy interviews with him.

The result, The Trials of O J Oyston, involved him protesting his innocence and opening up about his claims of a conspiracy against him.

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