Man convicted of murder after claiming victim with 62 injuries had fallen over while drunk

A man has been convicted of murder after claiming his 37-year-old victim had suffered 62 injuries to his head and body after falling over while drunk.

Warren Atkinson, 41, was found guilty of killing Steven Povey at accommodation on Norwich Road in Ipswich where they both lived on Friday 9 July, 2021.

Mr Povey was found unconscious with a large wooden coffee table on top of him. He had significant visible facial injuries, said police.

Atkinson denied murder at Ipswich Crown Court and initially claimed Mr Povey had fallen over a number of times while drunk.

A post-mortem examination found that Mr Povey had multiple areas of blunt force trauma to the head and neck and sustained 62 separate sites of injury to the head and body in total.

Atkinson was arrested and his clothing was seized. His hooded top, t-shirt, shorts and trainers were all found to have Mr Povey’s blood on them.

The court heard that the injuries sustained by Mr Povey were more consistent with blunt force assault and were not typically seen as a result of stumbles or falls.

The absence of collapse-related injuries therefore did not support the initial account given by the defendant.

Atkinson did later admit that he assaulted Mr Povey but claimed that he was acting in self-defence.

The jury rejected this version of events and Atkinson was found guilty by a unanimous verdict.

He has been remanded in custody pending a sentencing hearing due to be held at Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday 29 November.

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