A wife and her former Royal Marine lover have each been handed 19-year prison sentences for orchestrating a 'devious, callous and murderous' plot to kill her husband and claim his £124,000 life insurance payout.
The Failed Caravan Attack
The chilling conspiracy unravelled after the intended victim, Christopher Mills, heroically fought off two masked intruders armed with imitation firearms. The attack occurred in September 2024 at a holiday park caravan in Carmarthenshire, which he shared with his wife, Michelle Mills. Mr Mills managed to disarm the assailants, who then fled the scene, leading police to initially treat the incident as an armed robbery.
Following a manhunt, the attackers were identified as Geraint Berry, 46, and fellow veteran Steven Thomas. They were tracked down hiding in bushes near the Argoes Meadow campsite. A search of Berry's rucksack uncovered a cache of disturbing items, including gas masks, cable-tie handcuffs, and a fake suicide note purportedly written by Mr Mills to his wife.
A Plot Hatched in Secret
Swansea Crown Court heard that Michelle Mills, 46, from Llangennech, and Geraint Berry, from Clydach, Swansea, began an affair in the summer of 2024. During their three-month relationship, they discussed multiple methods to murder Mr Mills. Their macabre plans included poisoning his salad with foxgloves, lacing his gravy with antifreeze, and smothering him with a pillow.
The conspiracy was set in motion just weeks after a £124,000 Help for Heroes life insurance policy held by Mr Mills came into effect. Text messages exchanged between the pair, revealed in court, showed them declaring their love for each other and their desire to be together.
Sentencing and Aftermath
Mr Justice Sir Matthew Nicklin sentenced both Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry to 19 years for conspiracy to murder. Mills received an additional 18-month concurrent sentence for perverting the course of justice, while Berry was given a further 18 months for possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear. Steven Thomas, who played a 'subservient role', was sentenced to 12 months for firearm possession, with the judge noting his imminent release due to time already served on remand.
In a victim impact statement, Christopher Mills said he was 'devastated' by the 'calculating' nature of the plot, describing it as a 'complete shock'. He stated he had always believed he led a 'comfortable and happy life'.
Following a two-week trial in October, during which both Mills and Berry pleaded not guilty, they were found guilty. Detective Inspector Gregory, the senior investigating officer, labelled the defendants 'cold and calculated individuals' who had shown no remorse for the devastation they caused.
