Father-of-three ‘danced with new woman night before he murdered ex-fiancée'
Samantha Mickleburgh ended her relationship with James Cartwright two months before she was found dead at Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot, Surrey, on April 14 last year.
The 54-year-old mother of two had arranged to stay in a twin room with him because she 'didn't want him to feel lonely' on his 60th birthday, his trial heard.
Mr Cartwright, 61, who prosecutors say was leading a double life, had been out dancing at a ceilidh with Ella Callard the night before allegedly killing his ex 'with his own bare hands', Guildford Crown Court was told.
In a call after the incident, he told her he did not know Ms Mickleburgh would be there, and woke up the next morning to find her dead, the court was told. Mr Cartwright, of no fixed address, is accused of raping and murdering Ms Mickleburgh between April 12 and April 14 last year. He also denies one count of controlling and coercive behaviour between May 1 2022 and April 14 2024.
Giving evidence on Thursday, Ms Callard said Mr Cartwright had initially been 'very attentive, quiet and reserved' after they met online in February 2024. As his 60th birthday approached, he told her his daughters had been making arrangements, telling him to meet them at the hotel.
The night before going to Pennyhill Park Hotel, Mr Cartwright joined Ms Callard at a ceilidh dance, telling her she was the 'loveliest woman in the room that evening', jurors were told.
In a call with Ms Callard in the days after the incident, he told her his ex-fiance had a nose bleed during the night but refused medical help, the court was told. 'He told me he woke up in the morning and she was dead', Ms Callard said.
Mr Cartwright assured her nothing intimate had happened between him and Ms Mickleburgh, and said he was not expecting her to be there when he arrived.
Ms Mickleburgh's colleague and friend Martin Manning said she had been looking for love when she met Mr Cartwright.
She told him her relationship with him had initially been 'fine', but said he could sometimes lose his temper, jurors heard.
'She caught him reading her emails and then he lost it big time,' Mr Manning told the court. 'He would shout at her and back her into a corner. It frightened her. I was concerned for her safety.
'He was difficult to get rid of, she wanted him out,' Mr Manning continued. 'He told her 'I'm not a real man if I let you throw me out'. I did find that very disturbing.'
Louise Oakley, prosecuting, told jurors that Mr Cartwright had previously called 999 at about 8.30am on April 14 claiming he had discovered the lifeless body of Ms Mickleburgh lying next to him in bed, jurors were told.
'That was a lie,' Ms Oakley said. 'He had most likely killed her in the early hours of the April 14 2024 with his own bare hands applying manual pressure around her neck, extinguishing her life.'
Following their break-up, Mr Cartwright had continued to pursue Ms Mickleburgh, attending her address unexpectedly and uninvited, and 'bombarding her' with messages and calls, Ms Oakley said.
The trial continues.
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