A 41-year-old man, Michael Bretton, stands accused of a chilling and premeditated murder involving a samurai sword, according to testimony at Bristol Crown Court. The victim, Craig Hurcombe, 39, was found dead in a shallow grave at his workplace in Gurney Slade on January 14, after being reported missing on January 10.
The court heard that Hurcombe had been in a long-term relationship with Kate Saunders, which ended in 2023. Two years later, Ms. Saunders began a casual relationship with Bretton, whom she met on a dating site. While Bretton hoped to formalize their relationship, Ms. Saunders declined and eventually broke off contact.
Shortly thereafter, Ms. Saunders and Hurcombe rekindled their relationship, resulting in jealousy and obsession on Bretton’s part. Allegations include Bretton stalking the couple and attaching trackers to their cars. Prosecutor Mark Cotter KC described the night of January 1 as a cold-blooded execution carried out by Bretton, who allegedly killed Hurcombe with a samurai sword at his place of work.
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Footage shows Hurcombe arriving at the workyard around 6:26 pm on January 1, but he was believed to have been killed shortly after. A post-mortem revealed a fatal stab wound to the torso. Weeks later, the rusty samurai sword was discovered submerged in a nearby river.
Bretton denies all charges, including murder and stalking, claiming Hurcombe’s death was accidental. The trial continues as the jury weighs the evidence against the accused.