Two men from Lewisham and Lee have been given life sentences after the “pitiless and wicked” murder of a professional gambler for his winnings.

Kyrron Jackson, 28, of Romborough Way, and Nicholas Chandler, 29, of Lee High Road, were both found guilty of kicking Mehmet Hassan to death after being let in to his Islington flat.

The pair were let in by accomplice Leonie Granger, 25, of Gillingham, who targeted Mr Hassan in a “honeytrap” after meeting him at a Mayfair Casino.

She was jailed for 16 years for manslaughter.

Jackson and Chandler will serve a minimum term of 36 years each.

Sentencing the group at the Old Bailey today (April 28), Judge William Kennedy described the attack as “wicked and pitiless”.

He added: "It was quite simply an act of brutality which defies reason and compassion."

In mitigation, Orlando Pownall said Granger had worked with the elderly since she was 18 and had only got involved with the plot because she was in love with Jackson and "fell in with his desires".

Mr Pownall said she now "deeply regretted" what had happened, adding: "Her head was turned by Mr Jackson who she loved and to some extent by Mr Chandler who was persuasive and superficially charming."

But jailing her, the judge said she had been "deceitful from the outset" and had "lost her sense and compassion" when she got involved in the scheme.

He added that she clearly cared more for Jackson than he cared for her.