Parachute trial: Wife had considered ending life

Victoria Cilliers almost died in the 2015 parachute jump

The wife of an Army sergeant accused of tampering with his wife's parachute said she had "had enough of life" in the months before a near-fatal jump.

Victoria Cilliers, 41, survived despite a 4,000ft (1,220m) fall when both her main and reserve parachutes failed during a jump in Wiltshire in 2015.

Emile Cilliers, 38, of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps in Aldershot, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court.

He denies two charges of attempted murder.

Mrs Cilliers told Winchester Crown Court she struggled as Mr Cilliers was abroad and she was left to care for their toddler while being heavily pregnant.

She sent her husband a text message saying she "could not stop crying" and had "had enough of life".

When asked by the defence barrister Elizabeth Marsh QC whether she meant it, Mrs Cilliers said: "At that moment in time I did, yes".

Mrs Cilliers said she had taken sleeping tablets and diazepam in the past.

She agreed with Ms Marsh when the QC suggested she had on one occasion "over-indulged in those medications" following the break-up of her previous marriage in 2010.

This resulted in a hospital stay, but when asked if the incident "could be described as 'taking an overdose'", Mrs Cilliers said: "It wasn't enough to make a long-term difference".

'Wanted a reaction'

She told the jury she had sent the message to Mr Cilliers because she "wanted a reaction" and was suspicious he was having an affair.

Ms Marsh told the court about Mr Cilliers' financial affairs.

He had sent a message to his wife saying: "I think you'd be better off without me financially. I'm in a bad place at the moment."

She replied: "I married you for better for worse, richer or poorer. Let me in and we can work things out together."

Sgt Emile Cilliers was in debt, the court heard

Mrs Cilliers later transferred £5,500 to Mr Cilliers' bank account so he could repay a loan.

She agreed she had chosen to "bail him out".

The trial continues.