Overview

• Cartwright was convicted of rape and murder on July 31 after a three-week trial at Guildford Crown Court that ended with a unanimous verdict following one afternoon of jury deliberation
• A post-mortem examination found a significant head injury and fractured neck bones consistent with strangulation, undermining Cartwright’s claim that Mickleburgh fell from the bed
• Cartwright called 999 claiming he had discovered Mickleburgh dead beside him, then staged the hotel room and placed an engagement ring on her finger to support his false narrative of accidental death
• Mickleburgh, 54, had attended a six-course Michelin-starred dinner and agreed to an overnight stay at Pennyhill Park Hotel as a final act of selflessness to spare her ex-fiancé loneliness on his 60th birthday
• During sentencing, six members of Mickleburgh’s family delivered impact statements praising her kindness and expressing relief that Cartwright will remain behind bars for at least 28 years