A Gipsy Hill man has been found guilty of killing his former employer in her Bermondsey café.

Slawomir Zakrzewski, 23, of Whiteley Road, was found guilty by majority verdict at the Old Bailey on Friday of the manslaughter of Gloria Burgos in September 2008.

The Old Bailey heard how Zakrzewski worked for Mrs Burgos, 54, at the Goode Food Sandwich Bar but left in August last year when she could no longer afford to pay him.

He went back to see her on September 8 to ask for a reference.

A week later, Zakrzewski said he returned to the cafe and asked Mrs Burgos for a loan.

The court heard him admit to assaulting her and stealing her handbag containing £300 in cash, but he claimed he did not intend to kill her and that she was alive when he left the cafe about 5.30pm.

A delivery man who called at the premises five hours later found her lying beaten on the floor, her handbag missing.

A post mortem examination showed she died as a result of blows by a blunt instrument to her head and upper body, consistent with being stamped upon.

Mrs Burgos was married with three children and five grandchildren.

Her son and daughter Elizabeth and Richard Burgos, said: “She was known for her great coffee and positive nature and her motto was 'the best ingredient is love'.”

Zakrzewski, who was originally charged with murder and robbery, is due to be sentenced in September.

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