Murder accused 'traumatised' by deaf woman's death

An alleged killer nicknamed Nasty has denied punching a deaf woman and leaving her to die in the street, telling jurors he has been "traumatised" by what happened.

Duane Owusu, 36, is accused of throwing Zahwa Mukhtar out of an overcrowded Mercedes car and felling her with a single strike to the neck in the early hours of 16 August last year.

Giving evidence at the Old Bailey, Owusu, who denies murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter, said he had only "pushed" her to ensure she did not get back in the car.

He said: "I had no intention to cause any harm. I'm still traumatised by the fact she passed away. I've not stopped thinking about it."

The court heard the defendant and his friends had come across 27-year-old Mukhtar after going to a rave in Hackney, east London.

Owusu, from Dagenham, said the atmosphere had been generally "friendly" as they inhaled laughing gas from balloons in the early hours.

He said Mukhtar had appeared to be drunk and on drugs, but seemed "happy", if a "bit wild".

When they headed home to Dagenham, the victim jumped in the car too and sat on Owusu's lap, jurors heard.

A "stupid argument" broke out between her and two other women which "escalated into a brawl" in the car, he said.

Owusu claimed Mukhtar had pulled one of the women's hair and threatened to "stab" and "kill" someone.

Michael Borrelli KC, defending, asked: "Did you perceive that as a real threat to produce a knife and stab someone?"

Owusu replied: "I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know what she was capable of."

He then asked the driver to stop because things had "gone too far" and he planned to call her an Uber, jurors heard.

He told jurors that he took the victim's phone and threw it out of the window in an attempt to eject Mukhtar from the car.

In CCTV shown to jurors she could be seen sitting on the pavement and Owusu allegedly kicking out twice.

He denied aiming for her head or making any contact, saying: "I was trying to kick her legs away to create distance from the car back wheel.

"I had no reason to kick a young lady in the head."

He also denied using a clenched fist, saying: "I was not trying to cause any harm or danger.

"I just had enough. I just wanted to deescalate and be done with it."

The defence barrister said: "Did it enter your head that she was lying fatally injured?"

Owusu said: "No, not at all. I did not believe she was hurt severely or badly."

Mukhtar had suffered a fractured skull and brain injury and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The trial continues.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk