Missing woman was found dead, naked and bruised in tent, court hears

Natalie Harker disappeared at 4.30am last October when she was ambushed by Andrew Pearson as she was heading to work before she was allegedly murdered as he held her face down in a stream, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The prosecution said there was evidence that the defendant had sex with Miss Harker but it could not be confirmed whether that happened when she was dead or alive.

Miss Harker had been in an 18-month long sexual relationship with Pearson until the couple broke up in August 2018, said Alistair MacDonald QC, prosecuting.

Natalie Harker

He told the court that she was a ‘creature of habit’ so the defendant knew exactly where to pitch his tent in woodland, near her North Yorkshire home, as he ‘lay in wait’ for her as she went to work.

Mr MacDonald said injuries discovered on her body were consistent with her being held down in water, with bruising to her upper arms and wrists, but there was no sign of head trauma despite Pearson’s claim that she had fallen and banged her head.

Mr MacDonald said: "Someone held her head down, you have to ask yourself how Natalie didn't raise her head to avoid taking water into her lungs."

Police discovered Miss Harker’s body 12-hours after she disappeared when Pearson’s mother called emergency services to say she was dead in her son’s tent.

In a recording of the 999 call, Mrs Pearson and her son can be heard crying as they try to explain what had happened, as the 999 call handler endeavoured to discover why there had been such a delay before making the call.

She told call handlers how her son had carried out CPR after dragging her out of the river.

Andrew Pearson said: "I stripped her off and got a blanket and I must have passed out – then I woke up and she was purple."

Pearson, of Chestnut Court, Catterick Garrison, denies murder.

l The trial continues.