Crime

Two found guilty of conspiracy to murder after armed hit on caravan

Published

3 months ago

October 21, 2025

TWO people who plotted an armed hit on a caravan in Ceredigion have been found guilty of conspiracy to murder following a two-week trial at Swansea Crown Court.

The court heard how Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry planned to kill Christopher Mills so they could continue their affair.

A third defendant, Steven Thomas, who was alleged to have been recruited by Berry to assist with the plan, was found not guilty of conspiracy to murder. He had earlier admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause Mr Mills to believe that unlawful violence would be used against him or another person.

Prosecutors said Mills and Berry intended to murder Mr Mills and stage the scene to look like a suicide.

Armed attack

Dyfed-Powys Police received a 999 call shortly after 11:30pm on September 20, 2024, reporting that two masked men armed with guns had entered a caravan in Cenarth and attacked Mr Mills.

Despite being badly beaten, the victim fought the two men off before they fled.
The emergency call came from Michelle Mills, aged 46, who claimed her husband had sustained a head injury and said the masked men were unknown to her.

Armed officers, dog units and the NPAS helicopter were deployed and quickly located Berry, aged 46, and Thomas, aged 47, hiding in nearby undergrowth.

They were arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary. Officers found gas masks and a fake suicide note addressed to Mills, purporting to have been written by her husband.

The investigation

Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department launched a major inquiry which soon established that Mills, of Maes Ty Gwyn, Llangennech, Llanelli, had helped plan the attack.

Although she initially claimed she had “no idea” why her husband was targeted, investigators discovered she was fully aware of the ambush and had been in a relationship with Berry for around three months.

Digital forensic work uncovered messages between Mills and Berry discussing ways to kill Mr Mills. One message from August 7 read that he “should just die”.

By August 9, the pair were plotting how Berry could arrange a “hit” on Mr Mills. Mills spoke of poisoning him with sleeping tablets, while Berry sought a gun with a suppressor and even asked how to make a Mini Cooper S explode on starting — the model her husband drove.

When Berry told Mills he was meeting “the boys” to plan “what they are going to do with him,” she replied: “Yes, lovely, thank you.”
Her only concern was that they did not get caught.

Crucial evidence

Detective Inspector Sam Gregory of Dyfed-Powys Police said the digital evidence proved decisive: “The communication between Mills and Berry made it clear that since June 2024 they had begun a secret relationship. Berry, encouraged by Mills, became increasingly obsessed with harming her husband.

“Although Mills later claimed the talk of murder was fantasy, the pair made repeated, detailed plans to kill him.”

Messages showed two aborted attempts to reach Mr Mills’ caravan on August 28 and 29, with Berry injuring his knee during one visit. On the third attempt, September 20, Mills told Berry she would get her husband drunk so he would fall asleep.

Berry texted to say he had arrived at the caravan park moments before the attack. After the intruders fled, Mills messaged him: “Police have been called, get away, delete all communications … please on both phones … I love you.”

DI Gregory said Berry and Mills had also discussed using gas to make Mr Mills’ death appear to be suicide. Both Berry and Thomas carried gas masks, and officers later found the fake suicide note.

“What’s clear,” DI Gregory said, “is that these items were not intended to frighten Mr Mills — they were part of a plan to fake his suicide.”

Guilty verdicts

Mills was arrested and charged with conspiracy to murder her husband. When detained, she reportedly told officers: “I’m going to prison for this, aren’t I?”

Berry and Thomas, both of Clos Coffa, Clydach, faced the same charge, which all three denied.

After a two-week trial, the jury found Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry guilty of conspiracy to murder.

Steven Thomas was found not guilty of that charge but had previously admitted the firearm offence.

DI Gregory said: “While this case has all the makings of a TV drama, it was a very real conspiracy to take someone’s life. Mills and Berry plotted not one, but three attempts to kill Mr Mills.

“Thanks to the courage of the victim and the diligence of our officers, those responsible will now face the consequences.”

Michelle Mills, Geraint Berry and Steven Thomas will be sentenced on December 19.

Crime

Former soldier jailed for stalking police officer over past arrest

Published

19 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Court Reporter

Defendant tracked down officer’s home address and sent threatening messages

A FORMER serviceman has been sent to prison after tracking down and harassing a police officer who had arrested him two years earlier.

Gareth Nicholas, aged 41, from Waunarlwydd in Swansea, targeted the officer by discovering his home address and sending a threatening message via Facebook, Swansea Crown Court heard.

The officer had been part of a police team that executed a Scottish arrest warrant at Nicholas’s home in May 2023. Two years later, in August 2025, the officer received an unexpected friend request on social media, followed shortly afterwards by a message that immediately caused concern.

The message began with the words “I found you” and accused the officer of unlawfully entering Nicholas’s property, assaulting him while he was in his underwear, and “abducting” him. Nicholas also claimed he had identified a pattern of corrupt behaviour within the police and issued a veiled threat, stating: “I will catch you down the Liberty son. Look forward to it,” a reference to Swansea City’s former stadium.

The situation escalated further days later when a handwritten letter was delivered to the officer’s former address. The new occupant contacted the officer to alert him to the letter, which repeated allegations of corruption and suggested the matter could be dropped if the officer assisted in exposing alleged police misconduct.

Nicholas was arrested on September 3 and admitted sending the communications, but denied at the time that his actions amounted to stalking.

In evidence, the officer told the court that while he had faced verbal abuse during his policing career, this incident felt different and deeply personal. He said his family installed CCTV cameras, security lighting and fencing, and put safety plans in place for their children. He added that he feared Nicholas had not let go of his perceived injustice and remained concerned the behaviour could continue.

The court heard Nicholas has a substantial criminal record in Scotland between 2019 and 2024, including convictions for stalking, malicious communications, threatening behaviour, domestic abuse offences and possession of ammunition without a licence.

Sentencing Nicholas, Judge Huw Rees acknowledged the trauma the defendant had experienced during military service, but warned him not to repeat the behaviour.

Nicholas, who appeared unrepresented, pleaded guilty to stalking and was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, reduced by 20 per cent for his early guilty plea. Having already served time on remand, his release is expected shortly. He was also made subject to a five-year restraining order banning any contact with the officer.

Crime

Drink-driver ran red light and narrowly missed another motorist

Published

21 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A DRINK-driver was seen running a red light, swerving between lanes and narrowly missing another vehicle while being followed by police, a court has heard.

Reuben Kirkman, aged 26, was stopped by officers after being seen driving a Vauxhall Corsa along Iscoed Road, Hendy, on the night of June 21, 2025.

“He was stopped by officers as a result of his standard of driving,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told District Judge Mark Layton, sitting at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

“He had a near miss with another vehicle, he had no lights on, he drove through a red light and he was seen swerving between lanes.”

Subsequent blood tests showed Kirkman had 147 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80.

His solicitor, Peter Harper, told the court the offence occurred after Kirkman had spent the day with his football team.

“They ended up in the pub and he consumed some alcohol,” he said. “He planned to leave his vehicle there but failed to find a taxi.

“So he sat in his car for around 30 minutes, drank some water and made the stupid mistake of driving home.”

The court was told Kirkman, of Castle Buildings, Castle Street, Swansea, is a sport science and nutritional science graduate and is currently employed in food supply at Wetherspoons.

After pleading guilty to drink-driving, Kirkman was disqualified from driving for 17 months and fined £430. He was also ordered to pay a £172 court surcharge and £85 in costs.

Crime

Pembroke Dock woman fined after drunken abuse in town centre shop

Published

21 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A PEMBROKE DOCK woman has been fined after hurling drunken abuse at shoppers when she entered a town centre store in a highly intoxicated state, a court has heard.

Karen Rees, aged 52, entered a store in Dimond Street, Pembroke Dock, just after 10.00am on January 6.

“She was heavily intoxicated, shouting and swearing and pushing cans off the counter,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told District Judge Mark Layton, sitting at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

“But she was also having difficulty getting her words out as a result of the level of her intoxication.”

Rees, of Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place.