The stepfather accused of having a 'sexual obsession' with his 19-year-old stepdaughter before travelling to her halls of residence and murdering her has been pictured for the first time.
Nathan Owens allegedly drove more than 100 miles in the dead of night to Carla Georgescu's university halls in Preston on February 4 this year, where he is said to have beaten, stabbed and strangled the 19-year-old.
Alleged disposal of evidence
After the alleged murder, the 34-year-old is said to have driven home to Hartlepool, disposing of items including bedding with the student's DNA on during the journey.
Carla's beaten body was found the next day in her bedroom on what would have been her 20th birthday after her mother, and Owens' wife, Janina Georgescu, alerted police when Carla failed to reply to messages.
Court hears of 'fascination' with stepdaughter
Preston Crown Court has heard how Owens maintained a secret library of images he had taken of Carla doing household chores in her underwear or pyjamas. The 34-year-old also filmed himself having sex with an alleged 'effigy' of the girl, wearing the teen's nightie, The Metro reports.
The prosecution told jurors he had a disturbing "fascination" with his stepdaughter and acted on his violent fantasies as he knew the young woman was planning to fly to Romania to meet her boyfriend.
Footage has been shown of Owens arriving at Carla's flat in the early hours of February 4, as CCTV showed her answering the door in her fluffy dressing gown and pyjamas before letting him in. Around 90 minutes later, he is seen leaving the area with his head and face hidden.
Injuries and investigation
The court heard officers initially thought Carla had taken her own life as she appeared 'suspended' by a wardrobe, yet several harrowing injuries roused suspicion she had been murdered.
Nicholas Lumley KC, prosecuting, told jurors: "Carla Georgescu had been gravely assaulted, beaten about the head, stabbed to the face, the blade connecting with her hands as she tried to defend herself, before being strangled to death by use, at the very least, of the belt and then suspended from the wardrobe handle.
"There had plainly been some form of grievous sexual activity too. Hardly surprising given his obsession with her."
Jurors have now seen footage of Owens being arrested on suspicion of murder in his home.
Carla's mum told police she had no idea her husband had left the family home and made the journey as she slept. Janina said he would often stay up late playing games and only went to bed when she woke up for work.
The court also heard Owens' devices were seized by police, with examination showing he had transferred almost 15,000 still and moving images to a laptop just two weeks before Carla's murder, many of which were pornographic as well as hundreds of the teen taken in her home in her underwear or pyjamas.
It is said Owens went on to make 'deepfakes' of the girl, superimposing her face onto explicit images, as well as a video and dozens of screenshots of Owens having sex with an effigy donning Carla's clothes.
He denied murder, strangulation and GBH. The trial continues.
