A POLISH man accused of murdering gay pensioner Edward Highwood was visibly shaking after his arrest, a court has heard.

Marcin Orlowski was arrested in Brighton on July 24 last year following the death of the 79-year-old at his Blackheath home in Hollymount Close.

After his arrest Orlowski was taken to Sutton police station where he was seen by Met police forensic medical examiner Dr Graham Lewis.

He told the Old Bailey: “I asked him (Orlowski) how he felt.

“He said he felt terrible and was getting the shakes, and he said he was concerned about his ability to sleep.

“He also told me that in 2007 he had jumped from a fourth-floor window.”

The doctor added: “He had a slight shake and he said he was feeling hot and cold.

“I decided this was a sign of alcohol withdrawl.

“Later he said he was an alcoholic with a hunger to drink.

“I asked him what he was thinking about. He said he was thinking about the next drink.”

Dr Lewis prescribed Orlowski with the anti-anxiety drug diazepam and told officers the suspect was fit to be detained.

Homeless Orlowski, aged 20, denies murdering Mr Highwood 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.