A man branded an “evil, controlling, manipulative predator” has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years after he “callously” raped and murdered his ex-fiancee Samantha Mickleburgh at a Surrey hotel last year.
James Cartwright asked Ms Mickleburgh to come with him to the the five-star Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot to celebrate his 60th birthday, where he then raped and strangled her in their room. He then called the police and told them he had woken up to find her dead in the early hours of April 14, 2024. Cartwright was later arrested for murder after a post-mortem examination uncovered several injuries including a fractured skull and signs of strangulation of her neck.
