A man from Dorset has been convicted and sentenced for the murder of Craig Hurcombe, who was killed with a samurai-style sword in a premeditated attack in Somerset in January 2026.

Michael Bretton, 41, who had denied killing Craig, was convicted by a jury at Bristol Crown Court today. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 29-and-a-half years.

Craig died of a single stab wound from a sword at Blanchard’s Yard in Somerset, where he worked as a lorry driver. His body was later found buried on the site.

Lucy Coleman of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Bretton killed Craig Hurcombe in a pre-meditated and cold-blooded execution.

"He then attempted to cover his tracks, burning Craig’s body, clothes and car, burying his body, and sending messages to make it look like Craig was alive. In doing so, he no doubt sought to frustrate the search for Craig and destroy any useful forensic evidence.

“When the evidence of his involvement in Craig’s death became overwhelming, Bretton created the lie that Craig had died in an accident, and he had panicked and hid the body. The jury saw through this lie, and convicted him of Craig’s murder.

“This case is a shocking example of the way in which stalking behaviour can escalate in seriousness and place victims at risk of physical harm. 

“My thoughts remain with Craig’s family and friends as they continue to live with their tragic loss.”

Building the case

Craig Hurcombe’s body was discovered in a shallow grave at Blanchard’s Yard, where he worked as a lorry driver, on 14 January 2026. He was naked, and his clothes had been burned with an accelerant, such as petrol, and positioned on top of his body. He had been reported as missing on 2 January.

Craig died of a single stab injury through his torso, and his left hand showed injuries consistent with someone trying to fend off an attacker armed with a blade.

CCTV evidence from the yard showed Bretton leaving there on the evening of 1 January 2026, after Craig had been killed. 

Bretton stripped Craig’s body, burned his clothing, and buried them together in a shallow grave in some woodland on the site of the yard. He drove Craig’s car to a nearby location, where he set fire to it, and later threw the sword in a river, where it was later recovered by police.

Bretton and Craig knew each other. Bretton had been in a casual relationship with a woman who had previously been seeing Craig Hurcombe. When the short relationship with Bretton ended, the woman’s relationship with Craig was revived.

This came to the attention of Bretton, who began to stalk both Craig and the woman. This included planting trackers on both of their cars, following them, waiting outside the woman’s address in his car through the night, and contacting people who knew the woman to try to persuade them to intervene in the relationship.

On 31 December Craig arrived at the yard and found his tyres had been punctured. It was clearly a deliberate act, and the overwhelming inference is that it was done by Bretton. Craig was killed on the site the following night.