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Louella Michie trial: Man jailed over girlfriend's death after he filmed her dying at festival to appeal conviction

Ceon Broughton was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years for manslaughter last week

Adam Forrest
Tuesday 05 March 2019 17:35 GMT
Louella Fletcher-Michie at Bestival 2017 with Ceon Broughton before she took the drugs that led to her death

The man jailed over the death of Holby City actor John Michie’s 24-year-old daughter will appeal against his conviction, his barrister has confirmed.

Ceon Broughton was found guilty of the manslaughter by gross negligence of Louella Fletcher-Michie after giving her the hallucinogenic drug 2-CP at Bestival in September 2017.

The 30-year-old from Enfield was jailed for eight years and six months on Friday for manslaughter, three charges of supplying the class A drug, and breaching a suspended prison sentence for two offences of possessing a knife.

A spokeswoman for Garden Court Chambers, where Broughton’s barrister Stephen Kamlish QC is based, confirmed he would be appealing against both his conviction and his sentence.

A judge will decide whether to grant Broughton a hearing at the Court of Appeal.

The prosecution claimed during the trial that Broughton, a rapper known as CeonRPG, failed to take “reasonable” steps to seek medical help for his girlfriend, Ms Fletcher-Michie.

The jury at Winchester Crown Court was shown videos taken by the defendant as Ms Fletcher-Michie’s condition worsened – and possibly after she had died – following a “large dose” of the psychedelic drug.

Prosecutor William Mousley QC said Broughton did not get help because he was handed a suspended jail term one month earlier and feared the consequences.

During the trial, Mr Kamlish QC said the prosecution’s expert witness had acknowledged Ms Fletcher-Michie might not have survived even with medical help.

He added that Broughton, who had denied supplying the drugs to her at Bestival, had felt unable to leave his girlfriend alone in the woods while she was suffering a “bad trip” and he had not realised she was at risk of death.

The barrister also said Broughton had sought help through text messages and sending his GPS position through the mobile phone app Google Maps.

John Michie, father of Louella Fletcher-Michie, outside court (PA)

During the sentencing hearing, Mr Kamlish read a statement from Broughton which said: “Sorry I didn’t do more to save Louella, sorry for the suffering I caused to everyone who loved Louella, I want to make things right.”

Following the unanimous guilty verdict at the conclusion of the trial, Mr Michie said: “Regardless of the outcome of this harrowing trial, there were never going to be any winners.

“We began our life sentence on what would have been Louella’s 25th birthday. Ceon’s life sentence is knowing he didn’t help Louella to live.”

Additional reporting by PA

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