A man who raped and murdered his former fiancée after she agreed to celebrate his 60th birthday with him as a ‘final act of kindness’ before moving on with her life has been jailed.

James Cartwright, 61, was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 28 years at Guildford Crown Court today over the killing of 54-year-old Samantha Mickleburgh last April.

Samantha’s body was found at the five-star Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot, Surrey, where she had stayed with Cartwright because she ‘didn’t want him to feel lonely’ on his birthday.

Her family said they were ‘relieved’ following Cartwright’s convictions last week, adding he is ‘no longer free to harm or control any more women’.

Cartwright was acquitted of controlling and coercive behaviour, but prosecutor Louise Oakley told the court

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