THE trial of a Polish immigrant accused of murdering pensioner Edward Highwood is nearing its end.

This afternoon prosecution lawyer Victor Temple delivered his final speech to the jury and said homeless Marcin Orlowski “preyed on his victim's weaknesses”.

The 20-year-old defendant is accused of murdering the 79-year-old at the pensioner's Blackheath home on July 17 last year.

Orlowski claims he was provoked into hitting the gay pensioner with a glass vase because of his unwanted sexual advances.

The defence also says his responsibility for the killing was “substantially impaired” by his chronic alcoholism.

But Mr Temple told jurors: “There is no case of provocation. There is no evidence that provocation took any part in this case.

“The defendant took his opportunity to attack Mr Highwood and having rendered him unconscious he proceeded to steal from Mr Highwood leaving the victim to his fate.

“It appears this defendant was wholly indifferent as to whether he caused the death of Mr Highwood or not.”

He later added: “If someone is struck 10 times – really serious bodily harm, if not death, is likely to result. What else is likely to happen?

“Even if the defendant's complaints against Mr Highwood were true – all he needed to do was to simply push him away to be able to leave that house.

“The defendant was simply preying on Mr Highwood's weaknesses – his homosexuality and perhaps his vanity.”

The trial continues.