A jealous boyfriend savagely murdered his partner after constantly trying to find out where she was and “who she was with”.
Charlie Booth, 27, was convicted of killing Lauren Howe after a court heard his victim was found with a torn liver, and bruises to her face, arms and legs following the fatal attack.
Booth dumped Miss Howe’s lifeless body by a wheelie bin in an area close to their home in Tennis Way, Bradford, before hiding their shared mobile phone at a neighbour’s house.
The 26-year-old victim was later pronounced dead in hospital, Yorkshire Live reports.
During a ten-day murder trial, the jury was told Booth’s relationship with Miss Howe was “characterized by jealousy and anger” and they could both be violent.
Stevie Clare Hodgson-Curtley, the victim’s friend, told the court of occasions when Booth would “constantly” ring her to see where Lauren was and “who she was with.”
She said Miss Howe had told her about an incident when he had pinned her up against a wall by her throat. She also said Booth had thrown a concrete brick at Miss Howe on one occasion where he was “intoxicated and on drugs…very violent and angry.”
The murder happened soon after on July 24 at the mum’s home in Bradford – Booth had attacked her minutes after she came home from a night out.
Booth always denied murder but admitted manslaughter, claiming he and Miss Howe had become involved in a “scrap” when she returned home on the morning of her death.
He said his partner kicked him and he grabbed her by the face while she was holding the top of his head. He said at a later point she “lunged” towards him and he punched her in the abdomen.
Booth, though, denied intending to cause her serious harm.
Jurors heard how Booth had threatened to burn Miss Howe’s sister’s house down and harassed her family the night before and had even called the police to report an assault on him which did not happen.
Booth will be sentenced on Thursday, February 9. His Honor Judge Stubbs told him he is facing life imprisonment.
