A Woolwich man, who claimed he was helping his victim commit suicide, has been jailed for life for murdering his former neighbour with a claw hammer at his Sidcup home.

Raymond Sykes, 36, smashed Arthur Walters-Girout in the head with the end of a hammer four times during the brutal attack at the victim’s home in Pembury Crescent.

He denied murdering the 82-year-old who was found dead by his son Roland four days after the killing in June last year.

The jury returned their verdict yesterday (April 5) at around 2.15pm, after 9 hours and 57 minutes of deliberations.

Today, Sykes was jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years behind bars.

Skyes was also found guilty of fraud by false representation after going on a spending spree with his victim’s bank card.

Detective Chief Inspector Diane Tudway said Mr Walters-Girout was an “independent man” who still enjoyed life and had met with his son for dinner just days before he was murdered.

She said: "Sykes' defence was that the victim had asked him to assist his suicide - an utterly far-fetched account that the jury quickly rejected.

“Sykes beat Mr Walters-Girout to death in his own home, simply to steal his money and waste it on hundreds of pounds worth of trainers and other items."

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Raymond Sykes. (c.) Facebook.

During the trial at the Old Bailey, the court heard how Sykes told police that Mr Walters-Girout “asked me to end his life”.

After Sykes battered Mr Walters-Girout to near-death, he drove away in the pensioner’s Toyota with his victim’s bank card.

The prosecution told Judge Peter Rook QC that Sykes then met with Jason Hill, 23 and Ashley Hill, 21, of Clayton Mews, Greenwich, to withdraw £200 in cash.

The trio then spent £727.96 - mostly on trainers - and later attempt an £850 purchase in Argos on Mr Walters-Girout’s card which was declined.

The Hill brothers have pleaded guilty to fraud and are awaiting sentencing.

Neuropathology reports suggested Mr Walters-Girout may have been alive for between 24 and 48 hours after the assault although it was most likely he was unconscious.

Sykes, a former pupil at Abbey Wood Secondary School, lived in Pembury Crescent from June 2014 until January last year, when he claimed “gangsters” forced him to move out because they were using his home as a cannabis farm.

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Tributes left to Arthur Walters-Girout.

Sykes said he struck up a friendship with Mr Walters-Girout, who lived in the flat below his, during this time – as well as meeting Reverend Rupert Hankey, and becoming a born-again Christian.

After being interviewed by police Sykes took police to wasteland in Spearman Street, Woolwich, to show them where he had discarded the murder weapon.

The jury was told how Sykes, who has four children by former partners, had financial worries and a long history of depression including a spell in a psychiatric hospital.

And as he awaited trial, had tried to hang himself twice while in prison, the court heard.

Sykes offered a plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility which was rejected by the prosecution.