Man accused of murdering girlfriend Caragh Eaton outside Leicestershire home found not guilty
A man who was accused of murdering his girlfriend by fracturing her skull, as she tried to stop him leaving her home has been found not guilty.
Ian Curson, 42, had denied the murder of his girlfriend, Caragh Eaton, 28, who died after suffering two separate serious head injuries.
It happened outside her home in Field Edge Drive, Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire, in September 2022.
Prosecutors said at the start of a trial at Leicester Crown Court that a blow by Curson left Caragh, who was at his open driver's side window, "stunned" and unsteady on her feet and unable to break her fall onto the road.
Prosecutor Tim Clark KC told jurors the fatal incident occurred at about 4.30pm and had been captured on CCTV footage.
"The defendant got into his car, a black Range Rover and clearly is attempting to drive away.
"Miss Eaton was standing in the road very close to the car, but at various times with her head through the open driver’s side window.
"She was clearly preventing, or trying to prevent, the defendant from driving away in his vehicle."
The court heard Miss Eaton fell to the floor as Curson drove away during the "fast-moving" incident, leaving residents to attempt CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
After the incident, the trial was told, Curson drove to a nearby caravan park to visit a man whom he believed Miss Eaton had been "behaving inappropriately" with, and then returned to the scene.
After deliberating for nearly 14 hours, a jury returned a majority not guilty verdict to a charge of murder and a not guilty verdict in respect of possession of an offensive weapon.
Curson, of Fairhaven Road, Leicester, had maintained Caragh's injuries were caused by a fall.
After returning their verdicts on Thursday afternoon, Judge Philip Head thanked the jury for their service throughout the trial.
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