'Jealous' boyfriend murdered girlfriend, 26, after she enjoyed family night out

A "jealous" boyfriend is facing life in prison after he was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend by punching her so hard in the abdomen that her liver tore.

Charlie Booth, 27, had admitted manslaughter but denied murdering mother-of-two Lauren Jade Howe, 26, at their flat in Bradford on 24 July last year.

He had claimed he and Howe had had a "scrap" when she returned to their home on Tennis Way, Baildon, following a night out with family.

Booth told jurors at Leeds Crown Court that the pair had a "volatile" relationship and said they both could be violent.

He said when Howe returned home, he "knew she wouldn't be happy" as he had "smashed" the house up.

Booth claimed Howe kicked him and he grabbed her by the face and she had hold of the top of his head, before she "lunged" towards him and he punched her in the abdomen.

But after a 10-day trial at Leeds Crown Court, Booth was convicted of murdering Howe by savagely beating her.

The court heard the assault tore Howe's liver and left her with external injuries including bruises to her face, arms and legs. Booth denied intending to cause her serious harm.

Howe was found injured when officers were called to the property. She was taken to hospital where she later died.

Jurors heard how Booth controlled Howe during a relationship which was "characterised by jealousy and anger".

He had threatened to burn Howe's sister's house down and harassed her family the night before her death and had even called the police to report an assault on him which did not happen.

Following the murder, Booth claimed Howe "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 told jurors Howe went to bed having told him she "felt like she was ODing" and he poured water on her.

Booth – the father of her two children – 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, Howe's friend, Stevie Clare Hodgson-Curtley, told the court of occasions when Booth would "constantly" ring her to see where his girlfriend was and "who she was with".

Hodgson-Curtley said she "hated" Booth and 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 her on one occasion where he was "intoxicated and on drugs... very violent and angry".

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