Deaf man signed 'watch me' before punch

A deaf man signed "watch me" to a friend before killing an actor with a single punch in a London pub, a court has heard.

Matthew Powe, 30, is accused of murdering 34-year-old Lithuanian Vitalis Katakinas, who is also deaf, after he knocked his glasses off at drinks following a British Sign Language event on June 29 last year, the Mirror reports.

Mr Katakinas, who worked as an actor, sustained a serious head injury and died in hospital a week later.

Prosecutor Alan Kent QC told the court "the argument descended into violence" but admitted that Mr Katanikas may have thrown the first punch, knocking Powe's glasses off.

"Having picked them up and put them back on he signed to a friend 'watch me' and punched Vitalis Katakinas in the face," Mr Kent said.

He denied that Powe had acted in self-defence, arguing the defendant "must have intended to at least cause serious bodily harm".

Powe has denied both murder and manslaughter, insisting that he acted in self-defence.

The trial continues.

Source: The Mirror

Author: Martin Zavan, Approving editor: Matthew Henry