Stepfather accused of strangling 19-year-old university student in Preston
A 19-year-old psychology student was found dead in her campus flat, and her stepfather has been charged with murder and related offences.
Carla Georgescu, a 19-year-old Romanian-born student at the University of Lancashire, was found dead in her Ribble Hall flat on February 5, the day that would have been her 20th birthday. Prosecutors say her stepfather, 34-year-old Nathan Owens, travelled from Hartlepool to Preston in the early hours of February 4 and strangled her with a leather belt after developing a dangerous sexual fixation. Evidence presented includes Owens' alleged collection of manipulated photographs and videos of Carla, as well as his jealousy over her planned meeting with a Romanian man she had met online.
The jury heard that Owens fabricated a story about retrieving his wife's purse and entered the flat alone around 4 a.m., leaving about ninety minutes later. Owens has pleaded not guilty to murder, intentional strangulation and grievous bodily harm with intent, and the case remains before Preston Crown Court.
Why it matters
The case highlights serious concerns about domestic sexual abuse and campus safety.
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