SURREY MAN SENTENCED FOR MURDER OF EX-FIANCEE AT LUXURY HOTEL
A man named James Cartwright has been convicted of the murder of his ex-fiancee, Samantha Mickleburgh, at the luxury Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot last year.According to court reports, Cartwright, aged 61, stood trial at Guildford Crown Court accused of killing the 54-year-old woman, whose body was found at the hotel on April 14.
The jury unanimously found him guilty of murder and rape, while he was acquitted of controlling or coercive behavior.
The court heard that Cartwright and Ms Mickleburgh, from Axminster, had been in a relationship and got engaged in 2023, with Cartwright proposing during a holiday.
The relationship started to break down after Cartwright discovered sexually explicit messages from her ex-partner.
On October 2, he confronted her and admitted to standing in front of her car to prevent her from leaving their home, an act he later regretted.
Following their separation in early 2024, Cartwright continued to speak to other women but believed their relationship had ended.
On the morning of the murder, he phoned emergency services claiming to have found her dead beside him in bed.
The court also heard that Cartwright had lent Ms Mickleburgh tens of thousands of pounds for property renovations, claiming she owed him around £100,000 at the time of her death.
