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http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-44241364
Parachute trial: Emile Cilliers guilty of attempted murder
An Army sergeant has been found guilty of trying to murder his wife by tampering with her parachute.
Victoria Cilliers, 41, survived the 4,000ft (1,220m) fall at Netheravon airfield in Wiltshire in April 2015.
Emile Cilliers was plagued with debt and needed his wife's life insurance money to start a new life with his lover, Winchester Crown Court heard.
He was also convicted of trying to kill his wife by causing a gas leak at the family home.
The 38-year-old had denied two counts of attempted murder.
Mrs Cilliers, a highly-experienced parachuting instructor, suffered near-fatal injuries when both her main and reserve parachutes failed when she took part in a jump at the Army Parachute Association.
The trial heard that Cilliers, of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps and an experienced parachute packer, tampered with equipment he knew his wife was going to use.
Image copyright PA
Image caption Cilliers tampered with his wife's parachute before the jump
Image copyright PA
Image caption The jump took place at Netheravon airfield in Wiltshire in April 2015
Lines to the main canopy were twisted and essential parts were missing from the reserve.
The court heard the equipment had never failed in this manner anywhere in the world.
Mrs Cillier's survival was described as a "near-miracle", with it put down to the soft soil of the ploughed field where she landed.
Her light weight was also attributed as a factor in helping to minimise her injuries.
Just days earlier, Cilliers had caused a gas leak at their home in Amesbury, Wiltshire, by loosening a gas valve fitting in a kitchen cupboard.
Jurors heard Cilliers was £22,000 in debt and believed he was set to get a £120,000 life insurance payout in the event of his wife's accidental death.
Media captionProsecution barrister Hannah Squire said Cilliers was "cold and calculating"
He needed the money to pay off bills and start a new life with his lover, Stefanie Goller.
Cilliers was planning a new life with Ms Goller while also sleeping with his ex-wife Carly Cilliers, and arranging unprotected sex sessions with prostitutes.
The extent of his money problems was also revealed in messages sent between the married couple in December 2014 as their relationship began to break down.
Det Insp Paul Franklin, of Wiltshire Police, said Cilliers had shown "nothing but contempt" for his family.
'Heavy burden'
"On two separate occasions he made serious attempts to murder Victoria - one of these also endangered the lives of his two young children," he said.
"His selfish motives were simple - he believed that by killing Victoria his financial problems would be solved, his army career would continue with no danger of Victoria trying to damage it, and he could continue his illicit affair with his girlfriend.
"He has failed to accept any responsibility for his actions which reinforces our view that he is a cold, calculating and callous man whose only duty of care is to himself."
Mr Justice Sweeney said he would be seeking a report from the probation service to establish the "dangerousness" of the defendant.
"The burden now falls on me on what to do as far as this defendant is concerned, that too is a heavy burden," he said.
A date for sentencing has not yet been set.
The jury also convicted him of a third count of damaging a gas fitting recklessly endangering life.
Related Topics
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...uses-believe-sergeant-husband-emile-cilliers/
Parachute fall wife refuses to believe sergeant husband Emile Cilliers tried to kill her
Victoria Cilliers: 'One of the hardest things to deal with has been our daughter's questions and her hurt' Credit: Christopher Pledger
27 May 2018 • 5:53am
A mother who cheated death when her Army sergeant husband sabotaged her parachute has not told their children he could face life in jail for attempted murder.
Victoria Cilliers said she has told her two young children that their father Emile Cilliers "has done a bad thing", but not that he tried to kill her twice.
She told the Mail on Sunday and the Sunday Mirror that she does not believe he is guilty.
"My family, friends, everyone seems to think they know more than I do," she said. "They see different evidence to me."
She said her children "need a happy, well-adjusted life", and added: "I want boring and normal for us now, for them to grow up untainted.
"One of the hardest things to deal with has been our daughter's questions and her hurt. She still asks regularly: 'Where's Daddy? When am I going to see him? Why can't I speak to him on FaceTime?"'
Emile Cilliers was found guilty of trying to murder his wife by tampering with her parachute Credit: Getty
Cilliers, who had "out of control" debts racked up by taking his lover on expensive holidays, first attempted to kill his wife by tampering with a gas valve at their home in Amesbury, Wiltshire, at the end of March 2015.
Their young daughter and son were both in the house with their mother at the time.
Cilliers, who was also in contact with prostitutes and having sex with one of his ex-wives, made a second attempt on her life by sabotaging both her main and reserve parachutes, causing her to fall 4,000ft to the ground, which she "miraculously survived".
Mrs Cilliers, a highly experienced parachuting instructor, suffered near-fatal injuries in the failed jump at the Army Parachute Association at Netheravon, Wiltshire, on Easter Sunday, April 5 2015.
Victoria Cilliers, a highly experienced parachuting instructor, suffered near-fatal injuries in the failed jump Credit: PA
She told the newspapers that she does not believe her husband tried to kill her: "He was my husband. Yes, things might have been breaking down.
"He'd been unfaithful, he'd had issues with money, but that is not attempted murder."
She said she dreads the day that their son discovers Cilliers lied to his mistress and said he was not his biological father.
"I can live with his lies, it's the betrayal of my children which is the hardest to bear," she added.
Cilliers, 38, of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps, is awaiting sentence for two charges of attempted murder and a third of recklessly endangering life.
He was convicted following a retrial at Winchester Crown Court and has been remanded in custody until sentencing on June 15.
Related Topics
Parachute trial: Emile Cilliers guilty of attempted murder
- 24 May 2018
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An Army sergeant has been found guilty of trying to murder his wife by tampering with her parachute.
Victoria Cilliers, 41, survived the 4,000ft (1,220m) fall at Netheravon airfield in Wiltshire in April 2015.
Emile Cilliers was plagued with debt and needed his wife's life insurance money to start a new life with his lover, Winchester Crown Court heard.
He was also convicted of trying to kill his wife by causing a gas leak at the family home.
The 38-year-old had denied two counts of attempted murder.
Mrs Cilliers, a highly-experienced parachuting instructor, suffered near-fatal injuries when both her main and reserve parachutes failed when she took part in a jump at the Army Parachute Association.
The trial heard that Cilliers, of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps and an experienced parachute packer, tampered with equipment he knew his wife was going to use.
Image copyright PA
Image caption Cilliers tampered with his wife's parachute before the jump
Image copyright PA
Image caption The jump took place at Netheravon airfield in Wiltshire in April 2015
Lines to the main canopy were twisted and essential parts were missing from the reserve.
The court heard the equipment had never failed in this manner anywhere in the world.
Mrs Cillier's survival was described as a "near-miracle", with it put down to the soft soil of the ploughed field where she landed.
Her light weight was also attributed as a factor in helping to minimise her injuries.
Just days earlier, Cilliers had caused a gas leak at their home in Amesbury, Wiltshire, by loosening a gas valve fitting in a kitchen cupboard.
Jurors heard Cilliers was £22,000 in debt and believed he was set to get a £120,000 life insurance payout in the event of his wife's accidental death.
Media captionProsecution barrister Hannah Squire said Cilliers was "cold and calculating"
He needed the money to pay off bills and start a new life with his lover, Stefanie Goller.
Cilliers was planning a new life with Ms Goller while also sleeping with his ex-wife Carly Cilliers, and arranging unprotected sex sessions with prostitutes.
The extent of his money problems was also revealed in messages sent between the married couple in December 2014 as their relationship began to break down.
Det Insp Paul Franklin, of Wiltshire Police, said Cilliers had shown "nothing but contempt" for his family.
'Heavy burden'
"On two separate occasions he made serious attempts to murder Victoria - one of these also endangered the lives of his two young children," he said.
"His selfish motives were simple - he believed that by killing Victoria his financial problems would be solved, his army career would continue with no danger of Victoria trying to damage it, and he could continue his illicit affair with his girlfriend.
"He has failed to accept any responsibility for his actions which reinforces our view that he is a cold, calculating and callous man whose only duty of care is to himself."
Mr Justice Sweeney said he would be seeking a report from the probation service to establish the "dangerousness" of the defendant.
"The burden now falls on me on what to do as far as this defendant is concerned, that too is a heavy burden," he said.
A date for sentencing has not yet been set.
The jury also convicted him of a third count of damaging a gas fitting recklessly endangering life.
Related Topics
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...uses-believe-sergeant-husband-emile-cilliers/
Parachute fall wife refuses to believe sergeant husband Emile Cilliers tried to kill her
Victoria Cilliers: 'One of the hardest things to deal with has been our daughter's questions and her hurt' Credit: Christopher Pledger
27 May 2018 • 5:53am
A mother who cheated death when her Army sergeant husband sabotaged her parachute has not told their children he could face life in jail for attempted murder.
Victoria Cilliers said she has told her two young children that their father Emile Cilliers "has done a bad thing", but not that he tried to kill her twice.
She told the Mail on Sunday and the Sunday Mirror that she does not believe he is guilty.
"My family, friends, everyone seems to think they know more than I do," she said. "They see different evidence to me."
She said her children "need a happy, well-adjusted life", and added: "I want boring and normal for us now, for them to grow up untainted.
"One of the hardest things to deal with has been our daughter's questions and her hurt. She still asks regularly: 'Where's Daddy? When am I going to see him? Why can't I speak to him on FaceTime?"'
Emile Cilliers was found guilty of trying to murder his wife by tampering with her parachute Credit: Getty
Cilliers, who had "out of control" debts racked up by taking his lover on expensive holidays, first attempted to kill his wife by tampering with a gas valve at their home in Amesbury, Wiltshire, at the end of March 2015.
Their young daughter and son were both in the house with their mother at the time.
Cilliers, who was also in contact with prostitutes and having sex with one of his ex-wives, made a second attempt on her life by sabotaging both her main and reserve parachutes, causing her to fall 4,000ft to the ground, which she "miraculously survived".
Mrs Cilliers, a highly experienced parachuting instructor, suffered near-fatal injuries in the failed jump at the Army Parachute Association at Netheravon, Wiltshire, on Easter Sunday, April 5 2015.
Victoria Cilliers, a highly experienced parachuting instructor, suffered near-fatal injuries in the failed jump Credit: PA
She told the newspapers that she does not believe her husband tried to kill her: "He was my husband. Yes, things might have been breaking down.
"He'd been unfaithful, he'd had issues with money, but that is not attempted murder."
She said she dreads the day that their son discovers Cilliers lied to his mistress and said he was not his biological father.
"I can live with his lies, it's the betrayal of my children which is the hardest to bear," she added.
Cilliers, 38, of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps, is awaiting sentence for two charges of attempted murder and a third of recklessly endangering life.
He was convicted following a retrial at Winchester Crown Court and has been remanded in custody until sentencing on June 15.
Related Topics
