00:00OK, so, Michael, you're being arrested on suspicion of the murder of Craig Hurcombe.
00:05A man who murdered his former lover's new partner in a planned attack involving a samurai sword
00:11has been jailed for life, with a minimum term of almost 30 years.
00:16Michael Breton from Shaftesbury in Dorset was convicted by a unanimous jury
00:21of murdering 39-year-old Craig Hurcombe in Gurney Slade, Somerset, on the 1st of January.
00:27Bristol Crown Court heard Breton ambushed Mr Hurcombe at his workplace, Blanchard's Yard, before stabbing him.
00:34Judge William Hart said the injury was the type more commonly associated with a historical battle than modern life.
00:41The court heard Breton later attempted to burn Mr Hurcombe's clothes and body
00:45before burying him in a shallow grave in nearby Woodland.
00:48Judge Hart sentenced the 41-year-old who worked at a chocolate factory
00:52to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29 years and six months.
00:58During the trial, jurors heard Mr Hurcombe had previously been in a relationship with Kate Saunders,
01:03who later began a casual relationship with Breton after meeting through an online dating website.
01:08The court heard Ms Saunders then rekindled her relationship with Mr Hurcombe
01:12and Judge Hart said Breton was motivated by jealousy.
01:15The judge said Breton began stalking and tracking Mr Hurcombe's movements,
01:19including fitting a tracker to the couple's cars.
01:23Judge Hart said Breton used darkness and dark clothing to hide at Mr Hurcombe's workplace
01:28before carrying out the attack.
01:30After the murder, the court heard Breton took Mr Hurcombe's phone and SIM card
01:34and used it to communicate with concerned family members and friends for 10 days.
01:39The judge said evidence against Breton was compelling,
01:42but his attempt to dispose of the murder weapon became a crucial mistake.
01:46Police discovered journeys recorded by a tracking system in Breton's mother's car,
01:51showing it stopped near the River Star, close to Sturminster Newton.
01:55Divers later recovered the samurai sword from the river
01:58and a pathologist confirmed it could have caused the fatal injury.
02:02Mr Hurcombe was reported missing by his mother on January 10th
02:06and his body was found four days later.
02:09Pathologist Dr Amanda Jeffrey concluded he died from a single stab injury
02:13that penetrated through his torso.
02:16In a victim impact statement, Mrs Hurcombe described her son
02:19as hardworking, kind and loved by his family and friends.
02:24She said his murder felt like the end of the world
02:27and that he did not deserve what happened to him.
02:30Speaking after the case,
02:31Detective Inspector Neil Mead of Avon and Somerset Police
02:34described Breton as one of the most dangerous individuals he'd dealt with.
02:38He said the stalking, planning and attempts to cover his tracks
02:41showed the level of premeditation behind the murder.
02:44The court heard Breton maintain during his trial
02:46that Mr Hurcombe had died in an accident
02:48but Judge Hart described that account as wholly fabricated.
02:51The sentence means Breton will spend at least 29 years and six months in prison
02:55before he can be considered for release.
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