A man who strangled his neighbour then stole his money and spent it on crack cocaine has been found guilty of murder.

Thomas Ellison killed his 58-year-old neighbour Ian Jupe in his own home at Heather Court on May 28 this year.

He then laid Jupe in his bed, stole his card, and withdrew the contents of his bank account -  £481.10 - from a nearby post office, buying lottery tickets while Jupe's body was not even cold.

Ellison, 35, also used the cash to pay off a £40 debt, buy £300 of crack cocaine and heroin and even bought fuel for Jupe’s niece Michelle - to whom he had feigned ignorance.

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He denied murder, but a unanimous verdict was reached by the jury in less than five hours at Southampton Crown Court.

Prosecution witness Darren Wardrop, a friend of both Ellison and Jupe, said in a witness statement he was owed the £40 for several weeks.

He said: “I received a call from him on the morning of May 28 to say he now has the money, so I offered to meet with him that day.

“He appeared very on edge, and he was pale and shaking, and I found it odd he was able to pay me back the money he owed, which was outstanding for several weeks.”

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During the trial, the court heard how Ellison tried to cover his tracks in the days that followed.

He attempted to “cast the eye of suspicion” on others, with friend of Jupe, Andrew Cox, telling police he tried to pin the death on him.

The court heard how Ellison described Mr Cox as “sketchy” when speaking to a police officer at the scene.

Charles Row, prosecuting, said: "He even pretended to be a concerned friend and hung around the flat while Mr Jupe's niece Michelle called the emergency services on the day of his death.

"Ellison told the police he visited Mr Jupe that morning and that he said to him he felt unwell and was going back to bed."

Mr Row said Jupe's money was “burning a hole” in Ellison’s pocket.

Ellison is due to be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court later today (November 21).