Michelle Mills, her ex-Marine lover Geraint Berry and another soldier Steven Thomas are accused of conspiracy to murder Christopher Mills, an allegation they deny
A cheating wife, her ex-Marine lover and another soldier have been accused of conspiring to murder the woman’s husband, a court has been told. The prosecution alleges that two masked men armed with imitation firearms stormed the caravan where the couple resided, attacking the husband in what they claim was a fabricated invasion as part of the scheme to kill the victim.
The intended victim, a former soldier now employed by the Help For Heroes veterans charity, managed to disarm the intruders and drive them away before alerting the police.
Michelle Mills, along with ex-soldiers Geraint Berry and Steven Thomas, stand accused of plotting to murder Christopher Mills, charges they all deny. Mills also faces an additional charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice, which she refutes.
The trio – who discussed lacing Mr Mills’ gravy with anti-freeze – are currently on trial at Swansea Crown Court. Jonathan Rees KC, presenting the case for the prosecution, stated that just after 11.30pm on the night of September 20 last year, Mr and Mrs Mills were in their caravan lounge at a caravan park in Cenarth near Newcastle Emlyn when they heard a knock at the door, reports Wales Online.
He detailed how Mr Mills opened the door to find two masked and gloved men wielding guns who then forced their way inside. The court was informed that Mr Mills was struck in the face with one of the guns and had the weapon aimed at him, but he managed to punch the man holding the handgun and disarm him.
The prosecutor detailed how Christopher Mills found himself wrestling with the two intruders, with the shorter of the pair assaulting him with kicks and punches.
He explained that Mr Mills managed to disarm the second intruder and during the scuffle, succeeded in removing one of the men’s balaclavas, although he was unable to see his face due to their positioning.
Following this, both intruders made a hasty exit from the caravan, prompting a call to the police. The court heard how Mr Mills was left in a state of “shock and confusion”, battered, bruised and bleeding.
The prosecutor revealed that armed officers, police dogs and a helicopter were dispatched to the caravan park, with the helicopter successfully locating Berry and Thomas concealed in bushes.
He stated that the men surrendered themselves and within their rucksacks, officers discovered gas masks with filter canisters, cable ties, pliers, cloths, a telescopic gun sight, and a “suicide note” allegedly penned by Christopher Mills and addressed to his wife, affectionately known as “Babs”.
He clarified that the note was a forgery, and that Berry had previously shown Michelle Mills an electronic version of it before the incident occurred.
The prosecutor informed jurors that the prosecution’s argument is that the three defendants conspired together to murder Christopher Mills.
He mentioned that when Michelle Mills spoke to the police following the incident, she insisted she didn’t recognise the attackers and couldn’t fathom why anyone would want to rob the couple.
The prosecutor revealed that Berry and Mills were engaged in a sexual relationship and told the court it would examine extensive text exchanges between them in the months before the caravan incident, where they discussed potential methods of murdering Mr Mills, including mixing ground-up sleeping tablets into his drink, suffocating him with a pillow, adding foxgloves to his salad, and lacing his gravy with anti-freeze.
The barrister informed the jury they would also learn about messages where Berry told Michelle Mills – whom he called “my queen” – that he would put her husband “in the f****** ground” and would “f****** kill him”, and where he discussed arranging hitmen to carry out the murder.
The barrister told jurors they would also view messages where Michelle Mills tells Berry that “I need him [her husband] gone one way or another” so she and Berry could “move forward” together.
The barrister said the court would also examine messages exchanged between Mills and Berry in the moments before and after the caravan attack, including one sent by Mills shortly after the incident in which she told Berry “Police have been called. Get away. Delete all contact on both phones. I love you”.
The barrister said it was the prosecution case that former Marine Berry “recruited” fellow veteran Thomas to help him with killing Mr Mills, and that there had been two “aborted” visits to the Cenarth caravan on the the two nights before the actual attack took place. The prosecutor revealed that Christopher Mills had served in the Army before transitioning to civilian life, working for the Alabare homeless charity and later joining Help For Heroes.
He stated that Michelle Mills was the South Wales manager for Alabare, which is how she encountered former Marine Berry, who was provided with accommodation in Clydach by the charity. It was Berry who introduced co-defendant Thomas to the group.
The barrister highlighted that a month prior to the incident, Christopher Mills’ life insurance policy through his employment with Help For Heroes became active, naming his wife as the sole beneficiary of a £124,000 payout in the event of his demise.
Geraint Maverick Berry, 46, of Clos Coffa, Clydach, Swansea Valley, Steven Derwyn Thomas, 47, of Villiers Road, Blaengwinfi, Afan Valley, and 46 year old Ethel Michelle Mills – known as Michelle – of Maes Ty Gwyn, Llangennech, Llanelli, all plead not guilty to conspiracy to murder.
Mills also refutes an additional charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to the deletion of phone messages and the account she provided to police following the caravan incident.
Berry and Thomas have previously admitted guilt to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear.
The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Nicklin, is anticipated to span three weeks.
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