A man has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 29 years and six months for murdering his former lover’s new partner using a samurai sword. Michael Bretton, 41, from Shaftesbury, Dorset, was found guilty of killing Craig Hurcombe, 39, in Gurney Slade, Somerset, on January 1 by a unanimous jury at Bristol Crown Court. The court heard that Bretton attacked Hurcombe at his workplace and fatally stabbed him with an injury likened to those seen in historical battles.
Following the murder, Bretton tried to dispose of Hurcombe’s body and belongings before burying him in a shallow grave in a nearby forest. Judge William Hart characterized Bretton as a dangerous individual with an obsessive personality, stating that his fabricated account of Hurcombe’s death showed a lack of remorse and self-centeredness.
The judge described the murder as an assassination, attributing it to Bretton’s jealousy towards Hurcombe, who was in a relationship with Kate Saunders after previously dating her for years. Bretton had been tracking Hurcombe’s movements and meticulously planned the attack, using a samurai sword to carry out the murder.
Despite attempts to cover his tracks, Bretton’s fate was sealed when he mistakenly used his mother’s car, which had a tracking system that recorded his movements. The police recovered the sword near a river, confirming it as the weapon used in the crime. Hurcombe’s body was discovered days later, with a post-mortem examination determining that he died from a single stab wound.
In a victim impact statement, Hurcombe’s mother expressed the profound loss felt by the family, describing her son as hard-working and beloved. Both she and Kate Saunders condemned Bretton for his heinous act, with Saunders expressing deep devastation over Hurcombe’s death.
Andrew Langdon KC, representing Bretton, highlighted his client’s military service and family support. Detective Inspector Neil Meade of Avon and Somerset Police emphasized the disturbing nature of Bretton’s behavior and the level of planning involved in the murder, labeling Bretton as one of the most dangerous individuals he had encountered.
