A disturbing insurance fraud and murder conspiracy case is unfolding at Swansea Crown Court. Michelle Mills, 46, stands accused of enlisting her former Royal Marine lover, Geraint Berry, to eliminate her husband, Christopher Mills, 48, in order to collect a £124,000 life insurance payout.
Prosecutors claim that Michelle, who had been secretly involved with Berry for three months, devised a plan involving a staged armed robbery at the couple’s holiday caravan in Cenarth, Carmarthenshire. This incident occurred just a month after Christopher’s life insurance policy became active.
According to lead prosecutor Jonathan Rees KC, the illicit relationship between Michelle and Berry intensified rapidly, with Michelle repeatedly voicing her wish to have her husband removed so she and Berry could start a new life together.
“Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry engaged in a clandestine affair that, particularly from Berry’s perspective, grew increasingly passionate,” Rees explained. “Berry, spurred on by Michelle, developed hostile intentions towards Christopher Mills.”
The court was told that the conspirators explored various methods to murder Christopher, including lacing his drink with crushed sedatives, suffocating him with a pillow, or poisoning him with substances like foxglove or antifreeze. Ultimately, they agreed on fabricating a violent home invasion, during which Berry and an accomplice would carry out the killing.
On September 20, Berry allegedly enlisted fellow soldier Steven Thomas, 47, to assist in the attack. Both men armed themselves with firearms and masks, but the plan unraveled when Christopher resisted, forcing the assailants to flee the scene.
Authorities later apprehended Berry and Thomas hiding in nearby bushes, recovering items including gas masks, cable ties, pliers, cloths, a telescopic gun sight, and a forged suicide note intended to suggest Christopher had taken his own life.
Text exchanges between Berry and Mills, presented as evidence, revealed the depth of their conspiracy. Berry referred to Mills as “my queen” and vowed to “put her husband six feet under.” Mills responded, “I need him gone one way or another.”
Following the botched attack, Mills allegedly messaged Berry, “Police have been called. Get away. Delete all contact on both phones. I love you.”
When questioned by investigators, Michelle Mills denied any genuine intention to harm her husband, claiming the murder plot was a mere “fantasy” she used to cope with her reality.
She insisted she “never wanted Christopher to be hurt” and maintained that the discussions about killing him were purely imaginary.
Michelle Mills, along with Berry and Thomas, all plead not guilty to conspiracy to murder. Additionally, Mills faces charges of attempting to obstruct justice by deleting messages and providing false information to police.
Berry and Thomas have admitted to possessing imitation firearms with intent to intimidate but deny involvement in any murder conspiracy.
This sensational case, which has deeply unsettled the Welsh community, remains ongoing at Swansea Crown Court, where prosecutors are expected to introduce further digital evidence and witness testimonies in the coming sessions.
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