BLACKHEATH: Edward Highwood struck between 'seven and 10 times' (From News Shopper)

BLACKHEATH: Edward Highwood struck between 'seven and 10 times'

12:56pm Friday 15th January 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

A DOCTOR who examined pensioner Edward Highwood's body has said he was struck “between seven and 10 times” with a glass vase.

Pathologist Doctor Nathaniel Carey carried out the post-mortem examination on the 79-year-old after his death in Hollymount Close, Blackheath, on July 17 last year.

Speaking at the Old Bailey murder trial of homeless Polish immigrant Marcin Orlowski, he told jurors the pensioner died of “severe head and facial injuries”.

Dr Carey said: “In terms of the number of separate blows - as a minimum estimate – if you bear in mind the object is meant to be the glass vase, I would say he was hit at least between seven and 10 times.

“That allows for around eight to the head area and a further two to the facial area.”

The doctor added that three of the pensioner's teeth were knocked out during the incident while the blows caused his “skull to cave in”.

He also said he found fractures to his jaw, eye socket and cheek bone, and that the victim's brain was bleeding.

Orlowski, aged 20, denies murdering the 79-year-old and claims his responsibility for the killing was “substantially impaired” by his chronic alcoholism.

He also says he was provoked into hitting the pensioner with a glass vase because of his unwanted sexual advances.

The trial continues.