Neasden robber murdered pensioner and stole £13,000

A robber has been found guilty of murdering a 71-year-old woman and stealing £13,000 from her bank account.

Xyaire Howard bound and strangled Susan Hawkey to get her to reveal her PIN.

Ms Hawkey's decomposing body was discovered about three weeks later under a duvet in the living room of her home in Neasden, north-west London.

Howard, 23, and his girlfriend Chelsea Grant, 28, both from Press Road, Neasden, were remanded into custody until sentencing.

The couple who lived nearby, had also repeatedly robbed Ms Hawkey before the killing last September, the Old Bailey was told.

The pair admitted fraud by false representation in relation to their misuse of Ms Hawkey's bank card.

Grant was cleared of murder. She was found guilty of three counts of robbery and one of attempted robbery of the victim.

Howard had pleaded guilty to one of the robberies. He was also convicted by the jury of one charge of robbery and attempted robbery.

Howard admitted that he tied Ms Hawkey's hands to extract her PIN, but maintained she was alive when he left her home.

Her body was found with her hands taped and tied behind her back, her eyes taped shut and a ligature knotted around her neck.

Ms Hawkey was said to be a highly vulnerable elderly woman who lived an isolated life with little contact with friends and family.

Previously, prosecutor Annabel Darlow KC told jurors that the defendants had identified Ms Hawkey last summer as an "ideal victim".

She said: "When Susan Hawkey's decomposing corpse was found by the authorities, she was bound and blindfolded, and a ligature was around her neck.

"For some reason, all of her lower clothing, including underwear, had been removed and her upper clothing had been cut down the front. An item of clothing had been placed over her head and her body concealed under a duvet."

The victim's bank account went from a balance of more than £16,000 to just £3,434 as the defendants bought themselves perfume, a new television, portable speakers, telephones, clothes, shoes, sunglasses, watches and handbags.

Both defendants also sent money to St Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean using money transfer services.

Sentencing will take place at the Old Bailey on 8 December.

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