A GRADUATE has been found guilty of duping a mother and daughter who paid for a non-existent flat during the London Olympics.

Akinymika Oyedapo, of Selkirk Road, Astley Bridge, denied possessing criminal property, but was convicted unanimously by a jury.

Shirley Clark and her daughter, Gillian Carlson, transferred £3,800 to Oyedapo after finding the flat on Sublet.com.

They discovered it did not exist after going to collect the keys.

Concerns had been raised when the women tried to transfer the money, as they had been dealing with a Michael Smith and Oyedapo’s name was on the account.

The crime was only discovered when they went to the non-existent flat.

The 30-year-old was tracked down by police and arrested after getting off a flight from America.

Giving evidence, Oyedapo, who is a graduate from the University of Bolton, claimed a transaction of £3,850 was made into his account at the time after he sold a signed Al Pacino picture on online auction site eBay.

He claimed the buyer decided he no longer wanted the item and asked for a refund. Oyedapo said he returned the money to two men who arrived at the University of Bolton in a car.

Oyedapo denied any knowledge the money was connected to crime.

The jury of eight men and four women at Bolton Crown Court heard there was no record of the Al Pacino picture on his eBay account.

Judge Timothy Stead said: “Granting you bail and ordering for a pre-sentence report is not giving you any indication at all of the sentence.”

He said a proceeds of crime hearing has been scheduled to claw back ill-gotten gains.

Oyedapo will be sentenced on February 13. He was granted bail with conditions.