Stepdad jailed for murdering Carla Georgescu on her birthday

This article contains distressing details.

A man who was “sexually obsessed” with his stepdaughter has been jailed for a minimum of 35 years for murdering her at her university flat on her 20th birthday.

Nathan Owens, 34, from Hartlepool, killed Carla Georgescu in her room at the University of Lancashire property in Preston in February and then staged the scene to make it look like she had taken her own life.

Judge Jacobs said Carla had been described as polite, kind, intelligent and articulate with “a very gentle way” but she had suffered “a horrific brutal attack”.

He said Owens had a “longstanding sexual obsession with Carla” that was hidden from her and her mother.

The second-year student suffered knife wounds, including injuries where she tried to defend herself, internal injuries from a sexual assault and two “powerful blows to the head”, the judge said.

Owens also attempted to strangle her, the court heard.

Nicholas Lumley KC, for the prosecution, told Preston Crown Court Carla was “thriving” at the University of Lancashire, and had planned to continue her studies at a high level, “working towards a doctorate”.

He said she was “excitedly looking forward” to travelling to her home country of Romania to meet up with her first boyfriend.