Appeal judges throw out rapper’s conviction for death of girlfriend

Rapper Ceon Broughton’s conviction for the manslaughter of his girlfriend Louella Fletcher-Michie, who died after taking hallucinogenic drug 2C-P at Bestival, has been overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Miss Fletcher-Michie, daughter of Holby City and Coronation Street actor John Michie, died after taking the Class A drug during the music festival at Lulworth Castle, Dorset, in September 2017.

She was found dead in the early hours of September 11.

Broughton, 31, of Enfield, north London, was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence and handed an eight-and-a-half-year sentence in March 2019, following a trial at Winchester Crown Court.

But his conviction was overturned by three judges – including the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett – yesterday.

Giving the court’s ruling, Lord Burnett said the expert evidence on the likelihood of Miss Fletcher-Michie’s chances of survival had she received treatment sooner was

“not capable of establishing causation to the criminal standard”.

He added: “In respectful disagreement with the judge, we conclude that the appellant’s main argument, that the case should have been withdrawn from the jury, is established.

“Taken at its highest, the evidence adduced by the prosecution was incapable of proving causation to the criminal standard of proof.”

In the ruling, Lord Burnett set out how Broughton made attempts to get help as he realised Miss Fletcher-Michie was unwell, telling a friend to “get the medics” and sending a pin of his location in the wooded area using Google Maps.

The judge said the only expert jurors had to rely on for whether Broughton’s actions contributed “significantly” to her death had not provided evidence to a standard of proof that was “beyond reasonable doubt”, and it should not have been decided by the jury.

It is believed Broughton will now be released.

Pictures: PA. Ceon Broughton and Louella Fletcher-Michie.