Stepdad of Preston student Carla Georgescu appears in Crown Court charged with her murder
The stepfather of a Preston student has denied murdering her at her campus accommodation in the city.
Carla Georgescu, 19, a second-year student at the University of Lancashire, was found dead inside her room at Ribble House in Victoria Street at 1.15pm on February 5.
An investigation was launched and her stepfather, Nathan Owens, 34, of Hopps Street, Hartlepool, was arrested on suspicion of murder.
He was also charged with strangulation and assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.
Today (Monday, April 13), Owens appeared at Preston Crown Court via video link from HMP Preston where he pleaded not guilty to all charges.
An inquest previously heard that Carla, who is originally from Bucharest in Romania, was found on her 20th birthday. Detectives believe she most likely died the previous day.
The court heard Owens’ legal team had requested additional time to provide a defence statement, but the application was rejected by Judge Robert Altham.
A trial is provisionally scheduled for Preston Crown Court in October, and Owens will next appear at the same court for a pre-trial review in July.