A chilling betrayal unfolded, culminating in a 41-year sentence for a couple who plotted to murder a husband. Michelle Mills and Garaint Berry, entangled in a secret affair, hatched a sinister plan fueled by jealousy and a desperate desire for a new life together.
The scheme, described as “poorly executed” by the judge, involved a masked attack on Christopher Mills at a remote caravan. Berry, along with accomplice Steven Thomas, stormed the caravan armed with imitation handguns, gas masks, and restraints, intending to make the attack appear as a suicide.
But the plan quickly unraveled. Christopher Mills, despite being ambushed, fought back with remarkable courage, managing to disarm his attackers and escape their clutches. His wife, Michelle, swiftly called emergency services, initially claiming she didn’t recognize the masked assailants – a deliberate deception that would later be exposed.
The court revealed a disturbing pattern of escalating hostility. Berry, encouraged by Michelle, became consumed by increasingly violent thoughts about Christopher. Messages revealed his chilling vow to put Mr. Mills “in the f*ing ground” and to stage the scene to look like a suicide.
A fabricated suicide note, addressed to Mr. Mills’s wife by her nickname, “Babs,” was presented as evidence. It contained false confessions of abuse, a desperate attempt to further manipulate the narrative and deflect blame. The note spoke of remorse and a desire to end his own life, a cruel fabrication designed to mask the true intent.
Michelle Mills initially claimed the plot was merely a “fantasy,” an escape from a troubled marriage. She insisted she only wanted a divorce, portraying the violent discussions as harmless escapism. However, the prosecution argued she actively “stoked the fire” of Berry’s animosity, encouraging him to find a way to eliminate her husband.
The victim, a former Help for Heroes worker, was left reeling from the betrayal. He described being “devastated” to learn of the plot, stating he believed he had a happy marriage and had no idea his wife was involved with another man. He emphasized he had “never laid a finger on her,” vehemently denying the false accusations of domestic violence.
Justice Nicklin condemned Berry as the architect of the plan, highlighting his deliberate recruitment of Thomas and the intent to kill. He acknowledged the plan’s incompetence but stressed the gravity of the intention. Both Mills and Berry received 19-year sentences for conspiracy to murder, with additional sentences for related offenses.
Thomas, deemed to have played a lesser role, received a 12-month sentence. The case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of betrayal, jealousy, and the dangerous escalation of hidden desires. It left Christopher Mills grappling with the shattering realization that the woman he loved had plotted his demise.
