Overview

• James Cartwright, 61, is charged with raping and murdering his former fiancée, Samantha Mickleburgh, following their breakup in February 2024
• Jurors heard that the 54-year-old victim was found dead in a twin room at Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot, Surrey, with a significant head injury and neck fractures
• Prosecutor Louise Oakley told the court that Cartwright likely applied manual pressure around Mickleburgh’s neck with his bare hands in the early hours of April 14, 2024
• Cartwright denies all charges, asserting any sexual activity was consensual and rejecting allegations of murder and controlling or coercive behaviour
• The trial has moved beyond opening statements into detailed forensic examinations as jurors continue to hear evidence