Gambler bludgeoned betting shop manager to death with claw hammer for less than £300 just yards from police station Shafique Aarij, 21, facing life sentence for horrific attack on father-of-three After attack he walked out of store covered in victim's blood and caught bus Andrew Iacovou lay dying as customers gambled, unaware he was there A killer who bludgeoned a betting shop manager to death for less than £300 just yards away from a police safer neighbourhood team office is facing a life sentence. Shafique Aarij, 21, battered married father-of-three Andrew Iacovou repeatedly with a claw hammer at a branch of Ladbrokes in Morden, Surrey, before leaving him to die. Aarij, a regular gambler at the shop, deliberately targeted the bookies when he knew only one member of staff was present. He grabbed £296.68 from a till tray before "calmly" walking out of the store, splattered in his victim's blood, and catching a bus. Killer: Shafique Aarij bludgeoned a betting shop manager to death for less than £300, just yards away from a police safer neighbourhood team office Mr Iacovou, 55, desperately hit the panic button but local police were not even alerted as the call only went to Ladbrokes" head office. Cameras also failed to capture the incident as he was knocked straight to the floor during the attack, Southwark Crown Court heard. For 90 minutes he lay helpless on the other side of the counter while punters came in to play on the fruit machines, unaware the manager was even there. Mr Iacovou's lifeless body was eventually discovered by a shocked customer, who called the emergency services. Victim: Andrew Iacovou, the manager of the Ladbrokes branch and a married father-of-three A post-mortem found he suffered haemorrhages and brain injuries after the brutal killing at the Aberconway Road branch, where he worked for 20 years, at around 8.30am on May 25 this year. Mr Iacovou was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.28am, next to the hammer which claimed his life. The killing took place just minutes away from the Merton SNT, the court heard. Aarij admitted being present at the store and killing Mr Iacovou. But he denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility after claiming he suffered from psychotic schizophrenia. A jury of eight men and four women found him guilty after just 49 minutes of deliberating. Members of Mr Iacovou's family, including his mother, who all attended the entire week-long trial, wept as the verdict was announced. Aarij, flanked in the dock by mental health officers, showed no emotion. Judge Anthony Leonard QC adjourned sentence and said: "Before I pass sentence its right I get up to date medical reports particularly from the hospital he is being held at." Prosecutor Max Hill QC had earlier told the jury: "Contrary to something that he was to claim to the police later after he was arrested, the defendant did not go on the gaming machines at Ladbrokes that Saturday morning. The defendant comes up to the service window by the cash office and gesticulates at Mr Iacovou. You may conclude that was a ruse by this defendant to induce Mr Iacovou to open the security door to the cash office. Mr Iacovou seems to have managed during the struggle to press a panic alarm button, but that action was virtually his last, because this defendant felled him with a hammer blow to the head. Aarij then rained further blows on Mr Iacovou's head as he lay helpless on the floor. "Mr Iacovou was killed on the spot," Mr Hill said. Andrew Iacovou died at the Aberconway Road branch of Ladbrokes, Morden, Surrey Having killed Mr Iacovou, the defendant them removed his baseball cap, wiped his brow, replaced the cap and then set about stealing cash from the counter. Although Mr Iacovou activated the panic alarm, CCTV simply showed the back of the defendant's head as he stood at the till. When this defendant made off with just under £300 in cash, he left Mr Iacovou entirely alone. Aarij also unsuccessfully tried to break into the store safe before casually walking out with a splash of blood on his right cheek. Mr Iacovou was mortally wounded and never regained consciousness. He died on the floor of the security office," Mr Hill said. Because of where he lay, he was almost concealed to the outer world and was not discovered for an hour and a half. Aarij, of no fixed address, will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.