A man has been found guilty of murder after strangling his neighbour in his own home.

Thomas Ellison, 35, killed Ian Jupe, 58, on the morning of May 28 at his home in Heather Court, Harefield.

The unanimous verdict was reached by the jury in less than five hours at Southampton Crown Court.

Ellison, of Heather Court, denied murder but admitted killing Mr Jupe.

During the trial, the court heard how Ellison “stole Mr Jupe’s card after killing him” and withdrew all its contents.

He used some of the money to pay a £40 long-standing debt to his friend Darren Wardrop.

Mr Wardrop said he received a phone call from Ellison the morning Mr Jupe died to say he now had the money he owed, which he said was "odd".

They met that day, and Mr Wardrop said he was "very on edge, and he was pale and shaking".

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Ellison later spent around £300 on crack cocaine and heroin, according to mutual friend Leo O’Dell.

The jury previously heard how Ellison told police he had seen Mr Jupe at 8am on the morning of his death after collecting his money on his behalf.

He denied any involvement in his death in the days after and even lied to Mr Jupe's niece Michelle.

In a video interview shown in court, she said: "Ellison later told me Ian said to him that morning he did not feel well and was going to bed.

“But I expected creases in his bed to show movement. It looked like the bed had been ironed, and he was simply lying there.”

She added that after Jupe’s death, Ellison admitted he “had moved the body” but was not responsible for his death.

Michelle discovered her uncle's body when she and Leo O'Dell went to visit him after receiving no contact from him.

It is believed he was found between three and four hours after he was murdered. 

Ellison had moved him into his bed and pulled the covers over Mr Jupe to make it seem he had "died peacefully".

Ellison will be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court tomorrow.