Pressure escort to appeal (5)
I believe the answer is:
plead
'to appeal' is the definition.
(pleading is a kind of appealing)
'pressure escort' is the wordplay.
'pressure' becomes 'p' (abbreviation).
'escort' becomes 'lead' (to escort someone somewhere is to lead them there).
'p'+'lead'='PLEAD'
(Other definitions for plead that I've seen before include "State whether one is guilty or not" , "Make an emotional appeal" , "Supplicate" , "Say one is guilty or not guilty" , "Argue (for a cause)" .)