Court told man accused of murder plot is 'fantasist'

A FORMER marine accused of planning to murder his lover’s husband is a “fantasist” who exaggerated his military service and claimed to have killed hundreds of people, a court has heard.

- JASON EVANS

Geraint Berry and fellow veteran Steven Thomas are alleged to have conspired with Michelle Mills to kill her husband, Christopher, at the couple’s caravan in west Wales. The three defendants deny the allegation and are on trial at Swansea Crown Court.

The court has heard that on the night of Friday, September 20, last year, Michelle and Christopher Mills were in the lounge of their caravan at the Argoed Meadows camping and caravan park in Cenarth, near Newcastle Emlyn, when there was a knock at the door.

Former solider Mr Mills answered the door to find two masked and gloved men carrying handguns who then burst inside and attacked him. After a struggle, Mr Mills was able to disarm the men and fight them off, and the pair fled the scene.

The incident was reported to the police as an armed robbery, and a major policing response was put in place involving armed officers, dog units and a helicopter. Berry - who was having an affair with Michelle Mills - and Thomas were found hiding in bushes near the campsite and arrested. In their backpacks officers found gas masks, cable ties, a pair of pliers and a “fake suicide note” addressed to “Babs” - Michelle Mills - purportedly written by Christopher Mills.

It is the prosecution case that the raid on the caravan by Berry and Thomas was arranged by the conspirators as part of a plan to murder Christopher Mills.

Yesterday, the court heard evidence from Paul Kershaw who until July last year ran the Battle Ready stall in Swansea Indoor Market, a business specialising in military surplus items such as clothing, survival equipment, knives and airsoft gas-powered weapons.