A man who beat his frail 78-year-old father to death with a dumbbell in a row over just £40 is facing life in prison for murder.
Aston Lambert, 33, was caught on camera repeated bludgeoning his father Alban Lambert in the hallway of his home in Earl’s Court.
Southwark Crown Court heard that Lambert had been kicked out of the property by his dad after a period of violence and spiralling aggressive behaviour.
But he returned to the property on Sunday, 17 March last year, and was let in by his frail father.
The pensioner phoned his partner to say his son was demanding £40, but the phone call was abruptly cut off.
Neighbours overheard a disturbance at around 2pm, which “escalated to a level of ferocity” that prompted them to call 999.
At 3.15pm, Mr Lambert was found lying lifeless in the hallway of his flat, with the murder weapon – a dumbbell - left by the side of his head.
His son was arrested at the scene and claimed he had acted in self-defence when his father attacked him.
But the lie was exposed by CCTV footage which captured some of the sustained attack, which detectives described as “prolonged and increasingly violent”.
After a trial, Lambert was convicted by a jury of murder. He is set to be sentenced next month.
Mr Lambert’s family issued a statement after the guilty verdict, saying he was “deeply loved by all who knew him, in particular, his family and friends.
“He brought love and laughter to all around him. It is therefore immensely sad to find ourselves trying to comprehend the senseless tragic act which resulted in the loss of his life.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who's been supporting us throughout this difficult time. We would also like to say thank you to the medics who tried to save his life, the legal team and the police.”
Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command led the investigation and said: “The motivation for Aston Lambert’s attack appears to have been money. He went to his father’s flat and demanded cash but when Alban told him he didn’t have this, a violent rage took over leading to this murderous act.
“Alban Lambert was a frail and defenceless man, killed in his own home by someone he should have felt safe to be with.
“Alban was a caring father who was loved by his children. The family have been ripped apart by the actions of Aston Lambert and I hope that the conclusion of the trial allows them the opportunity to begin to move forward.”
Lambert has been remanded in custody until sentencing on September 12. He will be handed a life sentence, with a judge determining how many years he should serve before getting a chance of freedom.
