Crime
Chip shop owner in tears as he is cleared of killing his wife with boiling oil
A CHIP SHOP owner has been cleared of killing his wife after he was accused of pouring scalding hot oil over her.
Geoffrey Bran, 71, was accused of pushing or throwing a deep fat fryer onto Mavis Bran at the Chipoteria in Hermon, Carmarthenshire, on 23 October last year.
Mrs Bran, 69, died six days after suffering “horrific burns” to 46% of her body.
Before her death she told a friend and paramedics that her husband had “flipped” and attacked her with the fryer because she had been “nagging him”.
But Mr Bran has been found not guilty of the murder or manslaughter of his wife.
Mr Bran was in tears when the verdict was read out after his week-long trial at Swansea Crown Court, before judge Paul Thomas QC released him from the dock.
His wife of 38 years died from multiple organ failure after developing sepsis, hypothermia and undergoing surgery to remove some of her burned skin.
Gareth Davies, a friend who lived with the couple, told the court Mrs Bran returned home naked from the waist up with “crimson” peeling skin.
He added she was shouting “I’ve been burned” and “I’ve had boiling hot fat all over me”.
Mrs Bran then rang her friend, Caroline Morgan, telling her: “Geoff has thrown boiling oil over me. Please get here, I need you now, help.”
Miss Morgan said she found Mrs Bran “shocked” and “shaking” and told Mr Davies to call for an ambulance, before telling Mr Bran, who was still serving customers, to shut the chip shop.
Miss Morgan told the court Mrs Bran said: “I was nagging him and he flipped.”
She was taken by air ambulance to the burns unit at Morriston Hospital in Swansea.
Mr Bran was initially arrested on suspicion of assault and denied attacking his wife, telling police: “She got burned with the chip fryer. She slipped and it came off the top and went over her. Don’t ask.”
The couple, who had no children together, owned around 10 businesses in South Wales, including the Chipoteria which opened in January 2018 in a cabin situated next to their home.
The financial pressures of their various businesses would sometimes put a strain on their marriage, leading to arguments about money, the court heard.
People who knew the couple were said to have described them as having “short tempers” and “always argued, swearing and shouting at each other”.
A friend of Mrs Bran had noticed the couple’s relationship had been “deteriorating” in the months leading up to her death, with Mrs Bran phoning friend Miss Morgan in tears saying “he’s getting nasty”.
Mr Bran claimed his wife had previously spread lies about him, and suggested she was “halfway” to being drunk after drinking glasses of red wine on the afternoon she was injured.
Paramedics found she had a blood alcohol reading of 108mg/dl, higher than the drink-drive limit of 80mg/dl.
Mr Bran said his wife must have been “confused” when blaming him but said he “couldn’t find an answer” as to why he then ignored her for more than two hours after she was hurt.
He told the court he loved and missed his wife, despite telling police in an interview: “It’s a miracle we lasted that long.
“But we used to get on OK. We’ve had our ups and downs.”
A BROAD HAVEN man has pleaded guilty to stalking and to breaching his bail conditions on two occasions. He has denied a separate charge of criminal damage and is due to be sentenced later this month.
Thomas Jones, aged 34, of Croft Road, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Apr 7), where he was dealt with for multiple offences involving the same female complainant.
Jones admitted stalking Ms Knight between December 5, 2024, and January 22, 2025, in Milford Haven. The court heard that he visited her address several times, sent over 100 calls and messages in a short period in December, and left both a parcel and an envelope containing a spa voucher.
He initially denied the stalking charge, but changed his plea to guilty on March 17. The offence falls under Section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
Jones has denied a charge of criminal damage alleged to have occurred on July 21, 2024, when he is accused of damaging a door, radiator, cat litter tray and scratch post belonging to Ms Knight. He pleaded not guilty to this allegation on January 24.
The court also heard that Jones was arrested twice in March for breaches of bail. On March 22, he missed a curfew condition by returning home five hours late. The following day, on March 23, he allegedly contacted Ms Knight directly, in breach of an order prohibiting contact. He admitted both breaches, though those matters were formally recorded as having been dealt with at an earlier hearing.
The magistrates’ bench was chaired by Mrs C Kendrick, sitting with Mrs A Taylor-Jones and Mrs J Morris. Dennis Davies appeared for the Crown Prosecution Service, and Jones was represented by Fenn Richards.
Jones has been remanded on conditional bail until his next hearing on April 22, 2025, at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court. Bail conditions include:
- Not to contact Tessa Knight directly or indirectly, except via an approved device for child contact purposes,
- Not to enter Milford Haven,
- To reside and sleep each night at 38 Croft Road, Broad Haven.
A pre-sentence report is being prepared ahead of the hearing.
A PEMBROKE DOCK man has pleaded guilty to assault and criminal damage during a domestic incident last year.
Sam Wilkins, aged 42, of Bethel Road, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Apr 7), where he admitted charges of assault by beating and causing criminal damage.
The offences took place on November 7, 2024, in Pembrokeshire. Wilkins was accused of assaulting a woman and damaging a coat valued at £60.
He also admitted breaching bail conditions on March 18, 2025, after contacting an individual he had been ordered not to communicate with.
The bench, chaired by Mrs C Kendrick, sitting with Mrs A Taylor-Jones and Mrs J Morris, remanded Wilkins on conditional bail until April 15, 2025, when he is due to return to court for sentencing.
Bail conditions include:
No contact, directly or indirectly, with named individuals involved in the case,
Not to enter a specified address in Kilgetty,
Child contact to be arranged via a third party only,
Full compliance with probation requirements for a pre-sentence report.
Wilkins was represented by Jess Hill, and the prosecution was led by Dennis Davies of CPS Wales (South West).
A JOHNSTON man has been fined and disqualified from driving after admitting to drink driving on the same day he appeared in court.
Stefan Banica, aged 21, of Woodlands View, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Apr 7), where he pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol earlier that day.
The court heard that Banica was found to be over the legal alcohol limit while driving a motor vehicle.
The bench, chaired by Mrs C Kendrick and including Mrs A Taylor-Jones and Mrs J Morris, imposed a £500 fine, ordered him to pay £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service, and a £50 victim surcharge. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Banica was represented by Fenn Richards, with Dennis Davies prosecuting for CPS Wales.
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