My wife and her secret lover plotted to murder me

When two gunmen wearing ski masks tried to kill Christopher Mills in the idyllic rural trailer he shared with his wife, he fought for his life and to protect the woman he loved.

He was shot with a gun in a brutal attack that lasted just a few minutes before the men fled into the night.

But in the days following the failed raid on the Camarthenshire village of Cenarth, Christopher learned that his wife Michelle was behind the plot to kill him.

She and her secret lover, Geraint Berry, wanted him dead so they could start a new life together.

“It’s like a movie script,” said Christopher, a 55-year-old military veteran. “I didn’t know my wife was involved.”

Michelle Mills, of Llangennech, Carmartheshire, and former seaman Berry, both 46, of Clydach, Swansea. They are each 19-year-old starting sentences for the September 2024 plot.

She and Berry met while working at a veterans’ homeless charity, and during their three-month relationship, they texted each other about smothering Christopher with a pillow or something. poisoned him with antifreeze in his sauce.

Both of them Found guilty of conspiracy to murder Following a hearing at Swansea Crown Court.

A second man, 47, of Blaengwynfi in Port Talbot, Neath, was cleared of a murder conspiracy charge but was sentenced to 12 months in prison for possessing an imitation firearm.

The court was told he had been recruited by Berry for the mission to make it look like Christopher had killed himself.

The case was described by police as “like a television drama”, but for Christopher it was terrifyingly real.

He thought his marriage was happy before the attack on their caravan on September 20, 2024.

“Everything was great,” he said.

“We had been together for about 10 years, married for six. Everything was good.”

Although she had noticed that summer that he had become “colder” and “more distant,” she could never have imagined what would happen next.

“When I was fighting those two guys in the caravan, I was also fighting for myself and Michelle,” he said.

“I thought it was an armed robbery, but then finding out he instigated it was terrible.

“I never thought he could do something like this.”

On the night of the attack, Christopher and Michelle Mills were getting ready for bed when there was a knock on the caravan door at 11:30 p.m.

“I opened it [it] “And I came across a man in a mask,” he said.

“He hit me in the face with a gun. It was a big, heavy, metal thing. It was like being hit with a hammer.”

“I fought back. Then they both ran away. I was shocked.”

In Mills’ 999 call, her husband was heard requesting “immediate armed intervention”.

“I’m an ex-cop,” he said. “I took the guns away from them. They might still be here. It’s pitch black in here.”

Argoed Meadow caravan park owner Rita Owens arrived on the scene a short time later “in a panic”.

“When I got there [Christopher] “He was badly beaten, full of blood,” he said.

Ms Owens said she asked Michelle Mills what had happened but she “shrugged her shoulders” and was “busy texting”.

She added: “I thought they were a happily married couple but no.”

Armed police arrived at the scene 40 minutes later and a helicopter found Berry and Thomas hiding in bushes at a nearby quarry.

They had gas masks and cable ties in their bags, and Berry fake suicide note It was supposedly written by Christopher to his wife.

The next day, Christopher realized his wife was part of it when he was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence based on his wife’s false allegations.

“It was at that point, right then, that I realized Michelle was involved,” he said.

“I have never committed domestic violence against anyone, especially Michelle. My heart sank. I just thought ‘this is crazy’.”

Police told him that his wife was having an affair and that he was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to murder her.

“I was devastated. It was completely out of the blue,” he said.

“I only noticed a change in June 2024 when it got a little further away, a little colder.”

When Christopher asked his wife if everything was okay, she blamed work and assured him that their relationship was fine.

Christopher saw his wife in the dock during the trial in October for the first time since her arrest.

He gave evidence and sat in the public gallery every day.

“She didn’t look like the Michelle I knew,” he said.

“He lied, he was lying through his teeth in that courtroom.”

Mills told the jury he believed the plot was a “fantasy” and “escape from reality” because her husband is “controlling.”

Christopher added: “I am completely out of love with Michelle at this point.

“I can never forgive him for what he did. This is just a nightmare and it will never end.”

Christopher said he wanted a divorce, but any progress was difficult with his wife in prison.

“I don’t sleep at all. I don’t go out alone,” he said.

“I will be very happy when I can close the book on this. But it will be a long time yet.”

The jury was shown more 100 pages of text between Mills and Berry.

In one he said: “We’ll watch him die, then we’ll come home and spend the rest of the weekend together and wait for someone to find him.”

In the hours before the attack, Mills told Berry: “I’m sorry you know what you did and I trust you.”

His last message after the attack was: “Police called, delete all communications, I love you…”

Det Insp Sam Gregory, of Dyfed-Powys Police, described it as a “complex” investigation.

“One moment you think you’re investigating a crime, but suddenly it turns into the most serious crime,” he said.

“The plot resembles a TV series, but ultimately Mr. Mills was at the center of this investigation that could have fatal consequences.”

He said this type of crime “doesn’t happen” in rural West Wales, adding: “This was a very serious matter. It was real.”