Life sentence for man who killed gay pensioner
A Polish man found guilty of murdering a 79-year-old gay man has been jailed for a minimum of 23 years.
Marcin Orlowski, 21 and of no fixed address, was found guilty yesterday of the murder of Edward ‘Teddy’ Highwood, at the pensioner’s Greenwich home.
Today, a judge at the Old Bailey told him he would serve a life sentence for the murder, which took place on July 17th last year.
The pair met in a drop-in centre for homeless people and Mr Highwood had given the unemployed Polish man food.
Orlowski admitted killing the pensioner by hitting him over the head with a vase but denied murder on the grounds of a lack of intent, no provocation and diminished responsibility.
He claimed that Mr Highwood tried to force unwanted sexual attentions on him and he struck out in self-defence.
Mr Highwood was found dead by his housemate. He had suffered severe head injuries.
A retrial was held after a jury in January failed to come to a verdict.
Orlowski has 27 convictions for burglary, robbery and criminal damage since the age of 17.
He begged police to send him back to Poland just four days before killing Mr Highwood.
