Shipley man found guilty of murdering girlfriend Lauren Howe

A 27-year-old man from Shipley who savagely beat his girlfriend before dumping her by a wheelie bin has been found guilty of murder.

Charlie Booth attacked 26-year-old Lauren Howe, causing fatal injuries to her liver after she returned home to their flat in Baildon last year following a night out.

Booth, the father of Miss Howe's two children, admitted manslaughter but denied murder. He was convicted of murder following a ten-day trial.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Booth had anger issues and was jealous and controlling.

He told jurors the pair had a "volatile" relationship and on the night of the attack they had a fight as he had "smashed" the house up.

Booth said Miss Howe "lunged" towards him and he punched her in the abdomen as well as inflicting external injuries including bruises to her face, arms and legs.

Following the attack, Booth then carried her from the flat and left her nearby, hiding their shared mobile phone at a neighbour's house. Emergency services treated her at the scene but she was certified dead in hospital.

Jurors heard how he had threatened to burn Miss Howe's sister's house down and harassed her family the night before the attack took place.

He had also called the police to report an assault on him which did not happen.

Following the murder, Booth claimed his partner "might have overdosed" but told neighbours he had killed her.

Booth told them "while she was in bed she collapsed" and she "didn't move."

He claimed he did not call the police "because of the state of the house" and "they could see how it all looked."

During the trial Miss Howe's friend, Stevie Clare Hodgson-Curtley, gave evidence and told of occasions when Booth would "constantly" ring her to see where his girlfriend was and "who she was with."

Ms Hodgson-Curtley said she "hated" Booth. Miss Howe had told her about an incident when he had pinned her against a wall by her throat.

She also said Booth had thrown a concrete brick at her on one occasion where he was "intoxicated and on drugs...very violent and angry."

Booth, of Albert Road in Saltaire, will be sentenced on Thursday 9 February.

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