Natalie Connolly: Property tycoon jailed for less than four years for Kinver killing
Millionaire businessman John Broadhurst has been jailed for three years and eight months for the manslaughter of Natalie Connolly.
A millionaire property tycoon who left his naked girlfriend to die in the hallway after she consumed 'dangerous' levels of alcohol has been jailed for three years and eight months.
John Broadhurst went to sleep as Natalie Connolly lay fighting for her life at the bottom of the stairs after a drink and drugs-fuelled sex session at the couple's home in Kinver, near Stourbridge.
The 40-year-old businessman - said to be worth about £15 million - was last week cleared of murdering 26-year-old Miss Connolly and causing her grievous bodily harm but admitted her manslaughter on the grounds of gross negligence.
Broadhurst, who left his pregnant wife for Miss Connolly, looked on emotionless as he was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison at Birmingham Crown Court today.
Sentencing, Mr Justice Julian Knowles condemned the father-of-three for leaving his partner 'unsupervised' and failing to call for medical help despite a 'risk of death'.
He added: "Natalie Connolly was a much loved mother, sister and daughter. You fully understand, I'm sure, the pain and suffering you have caused.
"You were significantly less drunk than she was and you were capable of taking decisions and making choices.
"Despite her obvious injuries, you did not summon help. You just left her at the foot of the stairs and went to bed.
"You did not cover her up, get her a blanket or a pillow. You left her flat on her back and she died after you left her.
"I'm satisfied that you showed blatant disregard for a very drunk and injured woman."
Broadhurst's trial heard how he told 999 operators he had woken to find Miss Connolly 'dead as a doughnut' at their Kenrose Mill home in December 2016.
The couple had spent the previous day drinking with friends while watching a West Bromwich Albion game at The Hawthorns before going for a curry and returning home for their consensual 'rough sex' session.
The mother-of-one was discovered the following morning with more than 40 injuries, including serious internal trauma, and was more than five times the drink-drive limit.
A post mortem showed the 26-year-old died from acute alcohol intoxication and blunt-force injuries.
Prosecutor Mr David Mason QC claimed Broadhurst's failure to call for help showed a 'blatant disregard' that his partner could die and said it must have been 'obvious' there was a risk her condition was fatal.
But defence barrister Mr Stephen Vullo QC said 'law abiding' Broadhurst, of Blakeshall, Wolverley, would have called emergency services if he had he been sober.
'Felt responsibility'
He added: "When he walked up the stairs, he did not think she would come to any harm.
"She had slept in that position the week before where they had drunken sex at the bottom of the stairs.
"He has always felt responsible for the death of Miss Connolly."
Mr Vullo went on to say Broadhurst had made a 'courageous decision' to plead guilty to manslaughter last week after four weeks of evidence had been heard during his trial.
He told the court the couple were 'in love with each other' and said Broadhurst made an 'enormous sacrifice' leaving his wife when she was pregnant with their second child.
The barrister added: "It was the prosecution who came to the defence, not the other way round.
"The Crown, having heard all of the evidence, took a step back and realised fairly and properly that an allegation of an angry assault leading to Miss Connolly's death was wrong."
Today, her family released the following tribute:
"Our lives changed forever when we found out that Natalie had died.
"During the last five weeks we have had to endure hearing the most horrendous and harrowing evidence of how Broadhurst left Natalie at the bottom of the stairs bleeding and in clear need for medical help.
"Instead of getting Natalie the medical help she needed, Broadhurst chose to go to bed and sleep instead.
"It is now clear to us that the guilty admission made by Broadhurst shows the heartless way in which he left Natalie at the bottom of the stairs, without any concern for her dignity or wellbeing.
"He has demonstrated what a callous, disrespectful person he really is, and has never publicly apologised or shown any remorse for the cruel way in which he left my daughter.
"Natalie was in the prime of her life and if Broadhurst had got the medical help from the emergency services at the time of this incident, Natalie may still be alive today.
"Natalie was a loving and caring daughter, granddaughter, and sister, but above all she was a loving mother to her 10-year-old daughter, who now has to grow up without her mummy by her side, through all those significant times in a young girl's life.
"She will to have to live a life sentence without her mummy Natalie was, and still is at the centre of our world, and we will all try to rebuild our lives knowing, we will no longer have the beauty, the joy and the happiness of having Natalie by our side.
"Our beautiful girl has gone forever, we will never forget Natalie she will remain in our hearts and souls forever.
"As a family we all have to ensure that Natalie's daughter grows up, knowing how much we all loved her Mummy and the very tragic and unnecessary way in which her life ended.
"Whilst we are all still trying to come to terms with Natalie's death, please respect our privacy and allow us the time and space to try and rebuild all of our lives."
