David Hill was unanimously convicted by a jury at Leeds Crown Court yesterday of murdering widow Molly Wright, 73, at her bungalow in Redhill Gardens, Castleford, on September 27, 2006.

Hill, 48, of Lakeside Meadows, Pontefract, claimed he found the pensioner in a pool of blood in the kitchen when he called to check on her that afternoon, but the jury rejected his account and decided he was the attacker who battered her repeatedly over the head with a heavy curved object.

The prosecution said debt ridden Hill killed his business partner after losing his temper in a confrontation when she discovered he had financial problems and had been secretly taking money from their joint account.

Hill had run his own toy stall at Castleford market but went into partnership with Mrs Wright after the death of her husband, John, from cancer in January 2006, although everyone still knew the business as "Molly's."

He was around £20,000 in debt at the time of her death having taken on a number of credit cards and loans.

Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, said Hill had siphoned money from the joint business account and tried to cover up what he had done by altering copies of bank statements before passing them on to Mrs Wright.

He told the jury it was likely that Mrs Wright had discovered some of his dealings and she had spoken of going to the bank.

She had also already delayed her solicitor applying for probate on her late husband's estate under which her daughter Maxine, Hill's wife, anticipated receiving £135,000.

Hill told police he had got blood on his clothing when he cradled Mrs Wright and when he tried to resuscitate her after ringing the emergency services.

But forensic scientist Samantha Warna said the blood spatters on his clothing were consistent with him having struck the pensioner repeated blows rather than heavy contact staining. Mrs Wright had been hit at least eight times with a heavy object.

Mr Campbell suggested Hill had called at the bungalow earlier than he first claimed and returned later feigning discovery of Mrs Wright as a way of explaining the bloodstains.

The jury heard Hill also lied to police in his initial account of his movements that afternoon.

Hill denied in evidence he was the killer saying he had tried to help Mrs Wright when he found her battered body.

He told the jury he had only given police a different initial account of his movements that afternoon because he was embarrassed to say he had been looking for a client he had allowed to run up debts.

His wife Maxine, a teacher, who is standing by Hill told the jury in evidence her husband was a kind and considerate man whom she had never known to lose his temper. She said she wanted justice and the killer found, but: "I don't think David would ever hurt my mother."

There were gasps from family members in the public gallery and some broke down in tears as the foreman gave the guilty verdict.

Mr Justice Simon excused the seven men and four women from further jury service for life, one member having previously been discharged earlier in the trial. Hill will be sentenced tomorrow.

After the case Detective Superintendent Colin Prime said: "This was a brutal attack on Molly Wright within her own home. She was beaten to death by her son-in-law David Hill. This is a tragedy for the family, both in terms of the loss of Molly and also seeing David Hill convicted of her murder."