A pub landlord has been found guilty of killing a wealthy American customer by pushing him into the path of an oncoming van with an ironing board.

Rostam Notarki chased 53-year-old Charles Hickox from the Cardinal Wolsey, in East Molesey near Hampton Court Palace, after a row about a missing credit card.

The publican "jabbed" the eccentric American with the ironing board and into the path of an oncoming van, the Old Bailey heard.

Notarki, 53, from Beech Way, Twickenham, had denied manslaughter, claiming he was acting in self defence as he feared his son would be attacked after Mr Hickox bashed him with a tennis racquet.

But jurors rejected his defence and convicted him of the charge.

Notarki had already admitted hiding CCTV footage of the incident during a police search of the pub.

Rostam Notarki
Rostam Notarki

His son Kian, a 20-year-old student at Warwick University, and barman Mehrad Mohmadi, 45, of Radcliffe Mews, Hampton - who both helped conceal the hard drive and monitor - were convicted of perverting the course of justice.

The court had heard Mr Hickox was an eccentric American gambler who, while giving the appearance of being homeless, did in fact have access to large amounts of money.

Among the possessions he carried around with him in blue plastic bags were two tennis racquets and two ornamental mice which he would place in front of him in pubs and talk to.

The "scruffy and unkempt" drifter, who had a talent for calculating the odds, had gone to the Cardinal Wolsey on September 7 last year to buy three £65 bottles of Italian wine.

Notarki had switched the wine for a cheaper vintage before ejecting him from the bar of the smart gastropub and hotel, jurors were told.

When the victim realised that the Visa card he used to pay for the bottles was missing he went back with a tennis racquet in each hand to demand it back, having told his companions he might "have to crack some ribs to get it".

Pub: The wealthy American gambler had visited the Cardinal Wolsey to buy some fine wine
Cardinal Wolsey pub

The victim pushed the landlord using one of the racquets then ran off, with Notarki following him carrying an ironing board and his son Kian holding an iron bar, the court heard.

As he was being chased, a witness described Mr Hickox as looking "terrified" and "running for his life".

Prosecutor Michelle Nelson told jurors: "In the footage, Rostam Notarki can be seen holding the ironing board aloft and horizontally.

"Charles Hickox reached the kerb. At 19.21, Rostam Notarki pulled the ironing board back and then propelled it forward without letting it go and struck the victim to his upper back or neck area propelling Mr Hickox forward into the road."

The victim then hit his head on the front passenger wheel of a passing van, jurors were told.

Mr Hickox, who had lived in Britain for some time, suffered significant head injuries including a fractured skull and he died an hour later.

All three defendants were released on bail to appear at the same court for sentencing on July 31.