Shafique Aarij has been found guilty of the murder of Cheam man Andrew Iacovou at a Morden betting shop.

A jury at Southwark Crown Court took just 49 minutes to convict Aarij who will now face life behind bars.

Wimbledon Times: Father of three Andrew Iacovou

Father-of-three Mr Iacovou lay dead behind the counter of the branch of Ladbrokes he managed for over an hour before being found by a punter

Aarij bludgeoned the 55-year-old father-of-three to death with a hammer in a robbery at Ladbrokes in Aberconway Road on Saturday, May 25.

He took less than £300 and fled on public transport, first to Hackbridge, then to Tooting, where he wired some of the stolen money to Pakistan, and then to Stratford. He was arrested three days later in Ilford and told police he attacked Mr Iacovou.

Aarij will be sentenced at the same court on Monday, January 13, and has been warned he will face a minimum of 30 years in prison.