A man accused of the murder of Irish pensioner John Mackey in London has been found guilty.
Peter Augustine, aged 59, had denied the charges against him and was not present in court today.
In a unanimous verdict, the 12-person jury found him guilty of murder and robbery.
Mr Mackey was originally from Callan, Co Kilkenny, but had lived in London for most of his life.
His family members burst into tears upon hearing the verdict in the Old Bailey in London.
Augustine is due to be sentenced on 28 November.
'His loss will always be felt'
Augustine's barrister, Jenni Dempster KC, requested that Belmarsh prison pass on news of his guilty verdict to him.
In closing remarks, Judge Sarah Whitehouse paid tribute to the "dignity" of the Mackey family.
"I would like to thank you for the very dignified way you have sat through this trial.
"All of you have behaved impeccably, and the court is most grateful to you," she said.
'Very challenging trial'
The Mackey family thanked their legal team, the MET murder investigation team and witnesses involved in the case, as well as Judge Whitehouse for ''her wisdom and direction and the jury for their correct decision during a very challenging trial".
"The level of professionalism, kindness, empathy and support given to us as a family from our first contact from the first police officer on the scene, PC Hoyt, to today's conclusion has been above and beyond," said John Mackey's nephew Pat outside the Old Bailey in London.
Mr Mackey's nieces and nephews said they felt included and listened to and felt a real commitment to getting justice for their uncle.
Describing Mr Mackey as the "perfect uncle, funny, charming, mysterious and very definitely mischievous, never seen without his trilby hat and always immaculately dressed as he was on the day he was attacked.
"He always had a twinkle in his eye, full of tall tales, doing a bit of business or seeing a man about a dog. He was an ally and a friend to his 22 nieces and nephews, taking most of us to see his beloved Arsenal and introducing some of us to pubs around Manor House.
"He would never fail to slip a fiver to you whispering, 'don't tell your mum and dad'. He was happier than when he was with his ten brothers and sisters, telling stories with lots of laughter always.
"Always a proud Irishman, he lived happily around Finsbury Park for over 65 years. A loved and popular member of his community. He would always be remembered with love and a smile."
The family said the loss of their uncle has had huge impact on the wider family.
"His loss will always be profound. Yes, he was an old gentleman and he was getting towards the end of his life, but he was still a big part of this family and he will be missed forever."
Yesterday, Augustine was excluded from the court due to disruption and a failure to answer questions put to him in the witness box.
He shouted several times at people in the court, and also insisted that he would not be returning to the courtroom.
Augustine was alleged to have attacked Mr Mackey on 6 May, inflicting blunt force impacts to the pensioner's head and chest. Augustine insists he never harmed the pensioner.
"I took the bag and I ran," he shouted several times in court.
When Augustine was arrested at the Beaconsfield Hotel on 8 May, empty containers matching the groceries purchased by John Mackey were found in Augustine's hotel room. The food appeared to have been eaten.
In a police interview, Augustine claimed that he picked the grocery bag off the ground after it was blown by the wind.
However, in court this week, he told the jury that he was lying during that police interview.
He said that he took the bag out of John Mackey's hand and ran.
Augustine insisted that he did not harm Mr Mackey and did not see the 87-year-old fall to the ground.
In separate evidence, a forensic pathologist told the court that John Mackey suffered traumatic brain injuries associated with kicking and stamping.
Dr Matthew Cieka found that Mr Mackey suffered multiple bruises and abrasions to his head, neck, back, arms and chest.
He also had two fractured ribs.
The impact to Mr Mackey caused his brain to shift multiple times in his skull, the court heard.
There was evidence that Mr Mackey had Alzheimer's disease. However, there was no underlying condition found that would have caused his death.
Dr Cieka concluded that John Mackey died from blunt force impacts to his head and chest.
