An old Etonian who tried to throw his alienated partner in a 240ft-deep well was imprisoned today for 24 years for attempted murder.
Douglas Clifton Brown brutally attacked Camilla Welby during a authority from a friend's house before he drove to an estate that his family had had for generations and tried to drag her to the non -used well.
She succeeded in fighting him by wrapping her scarf to wrap his neck and nip him until he almost fainted.
Clifton Brown, 56, whose family line considers eight former parliamentarians, had admitted that she caused serious physical injury to intention and a threat to kill.
He denied attempted murder, but a jury unanimously condemned him in January after just four hours of deliberation.
Today he returned to the court where judge Alice Robinson gave him a lifelong prison with a minimum term of 24 years.
A friend of Mrs. Welby said after conviction: 'That is an end. Millie just wants to continue her life. '
Douglas Clifton Brown, portrayed, Camilla Welby attacked brutally during a car disord from a friend's house before he drove to an estate that his family had had for generations and tried to drag her to the unus be used well
Camilla Welby succeeded in fighting him by wrapping her scarf to wrap his neck and smother him until he almost fainted
The suspect claimed that the well, depicted, was about 20 ft deep, but the police estimated that the depth was around 240 ft
During the trial, the court heard a moving police interview with Mrs. Welby, who described how she 'fought for her life'.
Descriptive when she took the scarf and “pulled him around his neck so he couldn't breathe,” she said, “I didn't want to kill him. I was so afraid that I would do that. He started to choke. '
The couple had a 15-year-old relationship, but was divorced by the time of the incident on the evening of 12 August 2023, after they had drunk with friends.
Clifton Brown – who admitted to consume half a bottle of rum during the day – she drove to the house that they still shared in Langham, Norfolk, when an argument broke out about issues, including Mrs. Welby who called him 'an idiot' because they lost their dog earlier in the day.
In the course of the police, he initially claimed that his former partner had driven before he got out and tried to get him out of the passenger seat.
“I just play dead and then she puts the scarf around my neck and tries to strangle me,” he said.
“She has both thumbs in every eye and then I really started to respond, so I hit her with the back of my hand to get her away from me and also grabbed her hand.”
Mrs. Welby stopped after he realized that her finger was broken and got back in the car to drive to the hospital, he claimed.
During the trial, the court heard a moving police interview with Miss Welby, who described how she 'fought for her life'. Photo: The fenced well fenced in High House, Congham
Admitting that he hit her 'maybe ten to 15 times', he added that he did it' because she was trying to kill me. She was on top of me and a) strangled me and b) cross my eyes … it was self -defense. “
But the public prosecutor Ed Renvoize explained that it was the suspect who had become 'aggressive' during the 35 -minute Autorisse and the incident had escalated in a 'vicious attack'.
Clifton Brown told Mrs. Welby that he stood for arrested because he had beaten her, so “had nothing to live for” and she rode to the well on the High House Estate near Congham, which is run by the Clifton Brown family as an exclusive wedding location, where he put her down before put himself in.
The suspect claimed that the well was about 20 ft deep, but the police estimated that the depth was around 240 ft.
After he arrived at the site, he tried to drag his victim out of the car, but she fought back, with the public prosecutor who said Norwich Crown Court: “She was able to wrap her scarf around his neck.
“She pulled so tight, that's her fear, she choked him in almost unconsciousness.”
He added: “(her actions) brought him to his senses, insofar as his fight was extinguished. That was the end of the violence. '
Miss Welby, who also suffered a suspected broken nose and extensive bruises against her head and face, bravely drove away with Clifton Brown in the beginning, but had to let him out while he threatened to throw himself out of the car.
A general statue of high -house goods near Congham, Norfolk, owned by the Clifton Brown family
The trial against Douglas Clifton Brown for attempted murder continues at Norwich Crown Court
The police were contacted after she reached the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn.
The couple started their event company, usually for weddings, in 2020 after Clifton Brown had paid a 'large amount of money' to get rid of a 'difficult business partner'.
The main building was destroyed in a fire in 1939, but the walled garden and outbuildings are now used to host visitors.
Mrs. Welby helped with the events, but the court heard that she was financially self -sufficient because she has shares and shares and a holiday rental.
Clifton Brown, who has antidepressants for ADHD, had two previous convictions-one for fraud with driving on the driving section that led to a fine and caution for two attacks on Mrs. Welby in 2018.
He initially insisted that he had not attacked her at the last incident, and told the police that the claims were 'absolutely one' and adding it: “She has gone crazy and makes up for it.”
Stan Reiz KC, defensive, said that his client had admitted all the lies he had initially made by guilty of the GBH with intention and the threat to killing charges.
Clifton Brown did not intend to kill her and just threatened her out of anger, he added.
“He is a poor individual – he is not a murderer,” said Mr. Reiz.
But the jury rejected that version of the events and condemned the suspect, who has been in pre -trial detention since the attack and is now confronted with a long -term prison sentence.
Detective agent Gary Ranger said after the conviction: 'This has been an extremely traumatic time for the victim and I hope that today's conviction will help her while she continues to process what happened to her.
“This was a persistent and frightening attack in which the victim fought for her life. If she couldn't have subjected him with the scarf, she knows for sure that she would not be here today. '
