The man accused of murdering an elderly Irish man in London has told the Old Bailey that he felt ‘responsible’ for his death, but insisted that he never harmed him.
Eighty-seven-year-old John Mackey died after suffering severe head injuries as he walked home from his local supermarket and takeaway.
A 59-year-old man, Peter Augustine, denies the charges of murder and robbery.
During evidence today, Mr Augustine became emotional and agitated in the witness box, shouting on a number of occasions.
Mr Augustine said that he took a grocery bag from Mr Mackey’s hand, adding that the pensioner was holding the bag loosely.
“I took the bag and ran,” he claimed.
Mr Augustine suggested that Mr Mackey may have had a heart attack from shock, but insisted that he never saw the pensioner fall to the ground and did not harm him.
During a court hearing on 13 May, when the matter of bail was brought up, Mr Augustine replied “I don’t want bail, I’m guilty”.
Explaining his response today, Mr Augustine explained that he said he was guilty because he thought “maybe he [John Mackey] had a heart attack”.
“Convict me. I’ll do my sentence and I’ll die in prison,” he shouted at the jury this afternoon.
In previous police interviews, Mr Augustine had claimed that Mr Mackey’s bag was lying on the ground after being blown by the wind and that he took it to store his aftershave.
“I thought, oh, I’ll have that,” he told police. Adding: “I can put my Nivea in it.”
He told them that he saw Mr Mackey lying on the ground and asked, “alright guv, you alright brother?”
Mr Augustine, told police that the pensioner just groaned.
He said he thought ”He’s a f**king pisshead”.
Today however, Mr Augustine said that he took the bag while Mr Mackey was walking because he “had no food”.
Mr Augustine said that he wanted food that afternoon, and also contemplated robbing the kebab shop he saw Mr Mackey visit.
“I was going to ask for a doner kebab. Take it and run,” he said, however he changed his mind when he saw police cars on the street.
After taking Mr Mackey’s bag, Mr Augustine told the court that he said to himself, “you bast**d”, as he walked away.
Mr Augustine turned to Mr Mackey’s family members several times, insisting he never hit the pensioner.
Forensic pathologist gives evidence
Earlier today Dr Matthew Cieka, a forensic pathologist, told the jury that Mr Mackey suffered multiple bruises and abrasions to his head, neck, back, arms and chest.
The pensioner also had two fractured ribs.
His head injuries are commonly associated with kicking, stamping and an accelerated unprotected fall.
The impact to Mr Mackey caused his brain to shift multiple times in his skull, the court heard.
There was evidence that Mr Mackey had Alzheimers disease, however there was no underlying condition found that would have caused his death.
Dr Cieka concluded that Mr Mackey died from blunt force impacts to his head and chest.
He told the jury that many of the 87-year-old’s injuries were consistent with an assault as they could not be explained by a simple fall.
Mr Mackey died on 8 May, two days after he was attacked as he walked home from his local supermarket and takeaway.
He had purchased a Co-op branded cottage pie, cornflakes, a Daily Mirror newspaper and sausage and chip takeaway.
Mr Augustine, who denies the charges of murder and robbery, was arrested at the nearby Beaconsfield Hotel on 8 May.
Upon his arrest, police found an empty cottage pie container, packet of cornflakes, takeaway container and Daily Mirror newspaper dated 6 May in his hotel room.
The food appeared to have been eaten.
The trial continues.