A MAN has today walked free from court after being found not guilty of murdering Hampshire grandmother Georgina Edmonds.

Matthew Hamlen stood in the dock as jurors returned their unanimous verdict on the third day of deliberating their decision.

He had always denied the charge.

Members of the jury and Mr Hamlen's family wept as the verdict was returned.

The panel of 11 jurors have spent seven weeks listening to evidence surrounding the brutal killing of the 77 year-old who was found bludgeoned to death at her home in Kiln Lane, Brambridge, on January 11, 2008.

After the verdict the judge Sir David Clarke excused the jury from any more service for ten years.

Mr Hamlen, 33, will now get his first taste of freedom since being locked up 12 months ago when detectives charged him with murder.

He has spent his time on remand in a prison out of Hampshire, during which time his fiancée Emma White has given birth to his son.

Hamlen has always strenuously denied being the man responsible for repeatedly stabbing the pensioner across her body before raining blows to her head with a marble rolling pin.

Although he could not remember where he was on the afternoon of the murder, he was seen hours after on CCTV shopping at Sainsbury’s in Eastleigh.

During the trial, Mr Hamlen took the stand to give evidence and said he could not have been the man attempting to use Mrs Edmonds’ cash card because he was not of the same build.