Jury retires in trial of man accused of murdering ex-fiancee at luxury hotel
Samantha Mickleburgh was found dead at the Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot on the morning of April 14 last year.
The mother-of-two, 54, had arranged to stay in a twin room with her ex-fiance, James Cartwright, the night before, because she 'didn't want him to feel lonely' on his birthday, his trial at Guildford Crown Court previously heard.
Cartwright called 999 just before 8.30am on April 14 claiming he had discovered the lifeless body of Ms Mickleburgh lying next to him in bed.
The defendant, of no fixed address, is accused of raping and murdering Ms Mickleburgh between April 12 and April 14 last year, which he denies.
He also denies one count of controlling and coercive behaviour between May 1 2022 and April 14, 2024.Cartwright, a father-of-three, previously told jurors his ex-fiancee owed him about £100,000 at the time of her death as Ms Mickleburgh, from Axminster in Devon, borrowed money to help renovate a property she bought in early 2023.
The pair lived together and got engaged later that year, with Cartwright proposing on a beach during a holiday, the court previously heard.
But the relationship began to break down when Cartwright discovered 'highly sexual' messages from Ms Mickleburgh's former partner on her phone and later on her laptop, the jury has been told.
Prosecutors allege Cartwright was leading a double life, and the court heard the 61-year-old had been dancing at a ceilidh with his new girlfriend the night before he allegedly killed Ms Mickleburgh.
The jury retired at 12.26pm on Thursday.
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