Michael Bretton, a 41-year-old from Armoury Yard, Shaftesbury, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering Craig Hurcombe, the boyfriend of his former partner, at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, 31 July.
Bretton will serve a minimum of 29-and-a-half years, with time served on remand deducted from this period.
The court was told how Bretton became obsessed with his ex-partner, Kate Saunders, and sought to monitor and undermine her relationship with Craig Hurcombe throughout late 2025. His actions escalated over time, culminating in him tracking Craig from a property in North Somerset to a yard in Gurney Slade on the evening of 1 January.
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It was at this location that Bretton fatally attacked Craig with a samurai sword, delivering a single fatal stab wound to his torso that caused his death. Following the murder, Bretton attempted to conceal the crime by burning Craig’s clothing and burying his body in a shallow grave in a wooded area on the site.
Investigations revealed that Craig and Kate had been in a relationship from 2017 until 2023. Bretton met Kate in 2025 via a dating site and pursued a more serious relationship, which she ended after a brief, casual involvement. After the breakup, Bretton’s behaviour became increasingly controlling and intrusive, including loitering near Kate’s home and Craig’s workplace.
Bretton purchased two GPS tracking devices online and secretly attached them to the vehicles used by both Kate and Craig to monitor their movements. His stalking escalated to vandalism on New Year’s Eve when Craig discovered his car tyres had been punctured, with vehicle data placing Bretton nearby at the time of the incident.
CCTV footage captured Craig’s last known movements at the yard and subsequently showed Bretton entering the site shortly after the murder occurred. Bretton later removed the tracking device from Craig’s car and attempted to destroy evidence by setting the vehicle on fire.
In a further effort to hide his actions, Bretton travelled with the tracking device near the River Stour, where police later recovered a rusty sword believed to be the murder weapon.
After the killing, Bretton impersonated Craig by sending messages from his phone to create the illusion that he was still alive. Craig was reported missing by his mother, Nicola Hurcombe, on 10 January, prompting a police investigation that led to the discovery of his body on 14 January.
Dr Amanda Jeffery, the pathologist who conducted the post-mortem examination, confirmed the cause of death as a single, deep stab wound to the torso.
During the trial, Bretton claimed that Craig’s death was accidental, alleging he had slipped and fallen onto a metal shaft. However, the jury rejected this account and convicted Bretton of murder.
Craig’s family paid tribute to him, describing him as “the perfect son and an independent man” whose loss has left a profound void. They highlighted his hardworking and ambitious nature, and the respect he earned in his profession.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Neil Meade expressed his condolences to Craig’s family and praised the jury for seeing through Bretton’s deceit. He described Bretton as “one of the most dangerous individuals” he had encountered, noting the meticulous and sinister nature of the stalking and murder.
“The level of planning and premeditation behind Craig’s murder was horrific,” said Detective Inspector Meade. “Bretton’s attempt to deflect responsibility with implausible claims was rightly dismissed by the jury, bringing some measure of justice to Craig’s loved ones.”
The officer concluded by acknowledging the family’s grief and hoped the verdict would allow them to begin healing, reassured that justice has been served.