A 200kg sign which fell two metres from a betting shop and crushed and killed a young New Zealand lawyer was found to have been "dangerously insecure for a long period of time".

Jacob Marx, 27, had been living and working in London for four months before he was hit by the sign, which was covering a William Hill bookmakers on Camden Road, north London, in 2013.

Marx suffered a broken neck and fractured skull after he was hit just before 5pm on January 28, reports Daily Mail.

He died about an hour after being struck by the "dangerously insecure" sign, Blackfriars Crown Court heard yesterday.

William Hill Organisation have denied breaching health and safety duties in the case, which was brought by the borough of Camden.

Opening the prosecution case, James Ageros QC told jurors: "The sign was insecurely fixed on to a wooden subframe, and parts of the subframe were insecurely fixed to each other.

"The sign had been dangerously insecure for a long period of time and could equally have fallen on any other passerby, customer or indeed employee.

"Mr Marx was spectacularly unlucky to be in just the wrong place at just the wrong time."

The bookmaker had enlisted various subcontractors to carry out the fittings, with work starting on the sign in 2006, jurors heard.

Ageros added: "William Hill had the overriding and overall duty that what was done on its behalf was safe and did not present a risk to the public."