A cheating wife and her secret lover, a former Royal Marine, have each been handed 19-year prison sentences for conspiring to murder her husband in a botched plot to claim his £124,000 life insurance payout.
The Chilling 'Kill Kit' and a Fake Suicide Note
Michelle Mills, 46, and Geraint Berry, 47, meticulously planned the murder of unsuspecting Christopher Mills, creating what prosecutors described as a 'kill kit'. Their discussions, spanning 2,301 messages, considered various methods including smothering him with a pillow, poisoning his salad with foxgloves, or lacing his gravy with anti-freeze.
They ultimately settled on staging a fake armed raid at the couple's holiday caravan in Cenarth, Carmarthenshire, in September last year. As part of the elaborate ruse, they forged a suicide note in which Mr Mills falsely confessed to raping and beating his wife. The sealed envelope containing the note was found in Berry's pocket, with Michelle Mills's DNA on the seal.
A Plot Triggered by Greed and a New Insurance Policy
The murder plan was activated just weeks after a life insurance policy from Help For Heroes, for which former soldier Christopher Mills was eligible, came into effect. The policy made his wife the sole beneficiary of a £124,000 payout.
Prosecutors told Swansea Crown Court that Berry's jealousy was stoked by Mills, who falsely claimed her husband had tried to sexually touch her and was holding her against her will. In messages, Berry vowed to put Mr Mills "in the f***ing ground" and make it look like suicide.
On the night of the attack, the 6ft 4in Berry, aided by fellow former soldier Steven Thomas, 47, arrived at the caravan armed with gas masks, cable ties, balaclavas, and imitation firearms. Their plan was thwarted by the "remarkable fortitude and courage" of 20-stone Christopher Mills, who fought off his masked attackers.
Cover-Up, Arrests, and Devastating Betrayal
Following the failed attack, Michelle Mills immediately texted Berry, instructing him to "delete all communications on both phones" and assuring him, "I will not say a word." Berry and Thomas fled but were later apprehended by police after hiding in bushes; a police helicopter aided in their capture.
Christopher Mills expressed utter devastation, stating he had no idea of his wife's affair and believed they had a happy marriage. He was subsequently arrested based on false domestic violence claims made by his wife after the attack, which he vehemently denied. "I have never laid a finger on her," he told the court.
Michelle Mills claimed the murder plot was merely a "fantasy" and that she only ever intended to divorce her husband. This defence was rejected by the court.
Sentencing and Aftermath
Sentencing the pair, Judge Mr Justice Nicklin KC told Mills she had "cultivated and exploited" Berry's animosity and encouraged him to execute the plan. He told Berry his intention to kill was a "chilling reality," despite the plan's incompetence.
Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry were both found guilty of conspiracy to murder and sentenced to 19 years. They must serve at least two-thirds of their sentence behind bars. Mills was also convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Steven Thomas was cleared of conspiracy to murder but received a 12-month sentence for possession of an imitation firearm with intent, which he had already served on remand.
The court heard that Christopher Mills has been left deeply traumatised, no longer feeling secure in his own home, and has been forced to change locks and install CCTV.
