Man murdered stepdaughter at university halls after developing 'perverted' sexual obsession

A man has been found guilty of murdering his stepdaughter, with whom he had developed a “despicable” sexual obsession.

Carla Georgescu was found dead in her student flat in Preston on her 20th birthday.

Nathan Owens, 34, subjected her to a violent and sexual assault before killing her and staging the scene to make it look as if she had taken her own life, Preston Crown Court heard.

Ms Georgescu, who was described as “intelligent, gentle and articulate”, was an undergraduate student in Preston.

She was studying clinical psychology, with future plans to take postgraduate studies in Romania.

The weekend before she was killed, her mother came to Preston to stay with her, enjoying shopping and dinner together, with Owens joining later.

But unknown to Ms Georgescu or her mother, Owens had harboured a sexual obsession with her.

He had doctored childhood photographs of her to make them indecent images, he had photographed her without her knowledge in their house, and he had filmed himself carrying out sexual acts in Ms Georgescu’s bedroom.

In the early hours of 4 February, Owens left his partner to travel again to Preston.

He messaged Ms Georgescu, pretending that he and her mother were coming to pick up a purse that her mother had left behind.

CCTV of Ms Georgescu letting him into her halls of residence was the last time she was seen alive.

He subjected his stepdaughter to a violent and sexual assault and killed her.

Owens then staged the scene to look like Ms Georgescu had taken her own life and returned home as though nothing had happened, disposing of evidence on his route.

Detectives from Lancashire Police arrested him soon afterwards, but he denied any involvement in Ms Georgescu’s death.

He chose not to give evidence at his trial and has offered no explanation for his actions.

Owens was convicted by a jury of murder following a two-week trial. He will be sentenced on Friday.

Detective Inspector Pete Macdonald, of Lancashire Police, said: “Ms Georgescu was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her, a life that was taken away by someone she should have been able to trust.

“Owens had a despicable, perverted sexual obsession with his stepdaughter, an obsession that ended with him killing her. He has now been brought to justice for his crimes.

“I thank the jury for returning a guilty verdict, as well as the prosecution counsel, Nicholas Lumley KC, Adam Birkby, barrister, my investigation team and the Crown Prosecution Service for all of their efforts to obtain justice for Ms Georgescu.

“No verdict brings Ms Georgescu back, but I hope that her mum and the rest of her loved ones can feel some sense of justice that the man responsible for taking her future away has been brought to justice.”