A woman and her former Royal Marine lover have each been handed 19-year prison sentences for a chilling conspiracy to murder her husband and claim a six-figure life insurance payout.
A Caravan Attack Foiled by the Victim
Michelle Mills, 46, from Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, and Geraint Berry, also 46, from Clydach, Swansea, were convicted following a two-week trial at Swansea Crown Court in October. The court heard how their plot culminated in a terrifying attack in September 2024.
Two masked assailants, armed with imitation firearms, burst into a caravan where Mr Christopher Mills was staying with his wife at a holiday park in Cenarth, Carmarthenshire. In a brave act of self-defence, Mr Mills managed to disarm the intruders and fight them off, forcing the pair to flee the scene.
Sinister Plans and a Secret Affair
The failed caravan assault was just the final act in a series of murderous schemes hatched by the pair. Jurors were shown text messages in which Mills, a former charity worker, and Berry, a former marine, professed their love and desire to be together.
During their three-month affair in the summer of 2024, they discussed multiple methods to kill Mr Mills. Their macabre plans included smothering him with a pillow, poisoning his salad with toxic foxgloves, and lacing his gravy with antifreeze.
The conspiracy was initiated just weeks after a £124,000 life insurance policy with Help For Heroes, taken out by Mr Mills, became active.
Devastation and Justice Served
In a powerful victim impact statement, Christopher Mills described being "devastated" by the "calculating" nature of the plot against him. He told the court the ordeal had "pretty much ruined my life," leaving him suffering from severe anxiety and stress.
Despite denying the charge of conspiracy to murder, both defendants were found guilty. Mills was also convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice concerning the account she gave to police after the attack.
A third suspect, Steven Thomas, also a former marine, was arrested but later acquitted of conspiracy to murder in October. Both Berry and Thomas had previously pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear.
Following the sentencing, Dyfed-Powys Police Detective Inspector Sam Gregory stated: "I am pleased that Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry have now been found guilty... and that they will be suitably sentenced for their part in their plans to kill Mr Mills."
He emphasised the grave reality behind the dramatic case, noting the pair had plotted "not one, not two, but three attempts" on Mr Mills's life and would likely have continued if not caught. DI Gregory praised the investigative team and Mr Mills for his integrity throughout the criminal justice process.
