Nicholas Hoogstraten could be out of jail within two weeks after being given leave to appeal against his conviction for manslaughter.

The millionaire property tycoon was convicted of killing rival landlord Mohammed Sabir Raja at the Old Bailey last year.

But Hoogstraten's lawyers are confident they have a strong case against both sentence and conviction, after being granted leave to appeal in the High Court this week.

Mr Justice Mitchell allowed the appeal and a full hearing in front of three judges could be fixed for the summer.

Meanwhile, Hoogstraten's lawyer Giovanni di Stefano said an application for bail would be made within ten to 14 days.

Mr di Stefano told The Argus today: "Mr Hoogstraten is very happy.

"Whatever people think of this man, however he has built his fortune - if he even has one - he was accused or murder and acquitted of murder. That tells you something.

"He was convicted of manslaughter, wrongly we say, on the flimsiest of evidence with a serious misdirection by a judge of the High Court.

"We will now see what the Court of Appeal has to say on the matter.

"It is evidently clear that society does not approve of this man, and society is reflected in the judiciary.

"But Mr Hoogstraten was not involved in the murder of Mr Raja. He did not procure anyone to kill, injure, harm or even threaten Mr Raja.

"Mr Raja was tragically murdered and we totally condemn whoever did it."

Hoogstraten was originally accused of hiring two hit men, heroin addicts David Croke and Robert Knapp, to kill Mr Raja after he accused the tycoon of fraud.

Mr Raja was shot and stabbed to death in July 1999 at his home in Sutton, Surrey, by two men dressed as gardeners.

Croke, of Bolney Road, Moulsecoomb, and Knapp, of Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, were both convicted of murder at the Old Bailey.

Hoogstraten was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.

Since his conviction, Hoogstraten, 58, has lived in Belmarsh maximum security prison in London and immersed himself into fighting his appeal.

Mike Walsh, who co-wrote the biography Millionaire Killer about Hoogstraten, said: "He was writing to me every few weeks after his conviction but I have not heard anything since I sent him a copy of the book.

"All the letters asserted he was 'fitted up' and he was confident of succeeding with his appeal."