Note with fake rape admission found in murder plot case, court hears

Michelle Mills, 46, from Llanelli, denies conspiring to murder Christopher Mills (pictured) with Geraint Berry and Steven Thomas

A police officer has told the trial of a woman who allegedly plotted to kill her husband that a forged note with fake admissions of "assault" and "rape" was found.

Michelle Mills, 46, from Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, denies conspiring to murder Christopher Mills, with Geraint Berry, 46, from Swansea, and Steven Thomas, 47, from Blaengwynfi, Neath Port Talbot, who also deny the charge.

Mr Mills was attacked at the couple's caravan in Cenarth, Carmarthenshire, in September last year by two masked men.

Swansea Crown Court heard that a sealed white envelope – which the jury heard was a forged suicide note addressed to Mrs Mills from her husband – was found in Mr Berry's pocket.

The forged letter contained an "apology" to Mrs Mills which included fake admissions of "assault" and "rape", a police officer told the jury.

PC Jack Herbert, from Dyfed-Powys Police, said Mrs Mills claimed her husband would "question her whereabouts" and stop her leaving the house on time for work.

The court heard that William Mills, the son of Mrs Mills and step-son of Mr Mills, first met Mr Berry when he arrived home to find him stood in his kitchen in August 2024.

Williams Mills said Mr Berry, who introduced himself as Gaz, said he "hated" his step-father.

He said it was "an odd thing to say" about his parent as it was the first time he had met Mr Berry and he understood he was his mother's colleague.

The jury heard at the beginning of the trial that Mrs Mills and Mr Berry had been in a secret three-month relationship, during which they shared fantasies about killing her husband.

William Mills said he saw his mother and step-father on the morning after what he described as an "armed burglary" and that his mother was "aggravated" and in "a bad mood".

"I thought it was a bit of an odd emotion to have. If I were in her shoes, I'd be more worried or concerned than aggravated," he said.

He added that police came to their house that evening and arrested Christopher Mills.

The court previously heard the arrest was on suspicion of domestic violence related to Michelle Mills.

Mr Mills denied "ever touching" his wife.

Christopher Mills was attacked at their caravan in Cenarth, Newcastle Emlyn, by two masked men with guns, gas masks, gloves and cable ties

When questioned by Caroline Rees, representing Mrs Mills, William Mills agreed that his mother had complained about her husband had been "controlling" or "abusive" but that he had never witnessed it.

William Mills also recalled his mother's arrest at the family home, when she allegedly told him "not to say anything about Gaz".

The jury heard that Mrs Mills had told a police officer after the attack she had been "assaulted" by Mr Mills in the past, and that she was "frightened" to leave him.

She said she was "playing solitaire" on her phone when the pair heard a knock on their caravan door, and when she told her husband to answer, a man hit him on the head and told him to "get back".

They were grappling on the floor she said, as she tried to phone 999, before the men fled the scene.

She claimed to the police officer that she did not see the men's faces, and did not know why the attack happened.

Her husband had "dark humour", she said, but had not made her aware he had "fallen out with anyone".

The jury then heard police statements which described how a helicopter was used to locate Mr Berry and Mr Thomas hiding in undergrowth near the caravan site on the night of the attack.

The jury then heard evidence from Paul Kershaw who worked at a military surplus stall at Swansea Indoor Market, and who had given Mr Berry two airsoft BB pistols.

He said Mr Berry had asked him for a gun and three live bullets in a WhatsApp message.

He said in a reply to Mr Berry that "it's not something I'd be able to lay my hands on" and that "it was probably a bad idea to be asking for something like that".

"Then he also asked if I knew how to make a Mini Cooper explode – I explained to him that it's not something I knew anything about," he said.

The court previously heard Mr Mills drove that vehicle.

On behalf of Mr Berry, defence barrister David Elias KC asked Mr Kershaw if he thought Mr Berry was "a fantasist" after he got to know him at the stall, to which he agreed.

"A bit of a fantasist, yes, but mostly harmless," he said, "I thought it was all talk and bluster".

All three defendants deny conspiracy to murder. Mrs Mills also denies perverting the course of justice by deleting messages and giving police a false account.

The trial continues.