What Happened To Caragh Eaton? Her Boyfriend Ian Curson Is Accused Of Killing Her

Ian Curson is alleged to have struck Caragh Eaton before she fell into the road as he drove off in a Range Rover during an argument.

A boyfriend murdered his model girlfriend by smashing her skull with a weapon as she tried to stop him from driving off after a row, a court heard.

Ian Curson, 42, is accused of killing Caragh Eaton, 28, outside her home in Barrow upon Soar near Leicester.

The model, who was at the driver’s side window of her partner’s Range Rover, was seen looking “stunned” and unsteady on her feet before she collapsed to the ground.

Caragh was struck with “considerable force” by a weapon, likely a ratchet or BB gun, as she tried to stop him leaving, jurors heard.

Leicester Crown Court was told when Curson was arrested, he said “here we go” and asked “who’s been murdered?”

He then broke down “screaming and crying” when an officer told him Caragh had died.

He was originally charged with manslaughter following her tragic death but this was upgraded to murder after “expert scientific evidence” emerged, it was said.

A pathologist found two injuries to her head – one caused by her falling to the ground a second wound behind her right ear.

The court was told this mark had caused a fracture to Caragh’s skull and a brain injury that happened before the fall.

Opening the case, prosecutor Tim Clark KC said: “It is the Crown’s case that the defendant struck Miss Eaton with an object using considerable force before she fell.

“It interfered with her consciousness, it stunned her. The reason she didn’t break her fall is that she was unable to.

“It led to the fall which led to injury to the back of the head.”

The prosecutor explained Curson denies using any weapon to strike his girlfriend but the BB gun and its detachable magazine were found in his car.

He had sent pictures of himself holding a ratchet to Caragh’s phone after he left his stricken girlfriend at her home, jurors heard.

The court was told the horror was captured on CCTV at around 4.30pm on September 6 last year.

Mr Clark said it appeared “all was not well” as Curson left the house, followed by Caragh.

He then got into his black Range Rover and attempted to drive away as Caragh put her head through the driver’s side window begging him to stay, it was said.

Horrified witnesses then reported seeing Caragh hit the tarmac and hit her head as Curson sped away from the scene.

One said he heard a male voice screaming “just leave me alone” during the row.

Curson allegedly drove to a nearby caravan park to visit a man who he believed Caragh had been “behaving inappropriately” with as emergency crews battled to save the model.

He then returned to his girlfriend’s home where he was told Caragh had been “badly injured”, the court heard.

Curson was originally charged with manslaughter, but subsequently with murder.

Mr Clark said the injury found behind Caragh’s ear would be “a matter of some discussion and debate” during the trial.

Jurors were told the defence case is expected to be that Curson “did not strike Ms Eaton at all whilst she was inside or close to his car”.

Curson denies murder, manslaughter and possession of the ratchet as an offensive weapon.

The trial continues.