A cheating wife convinced her ex-Royal Marine lover to kill her soldier husband so she could cash in his life insurance, a court has heard.
Michelle Mills, 46, and Geraint Berry were in the middle of a three-month love affair when the former decided she wanted her husband Christopher, 48, 'gone one way or another', Swansea Crown Court heard.
They allegedly decided to stage a fake armed break-in, complete with fake guns, to bump off her spouse while he stayed in their holiday caravan in a countryside beauty spot.
The plan came just one month after a life insurance policy for Mr Mills had come into effect naming his wife as the sole beneficiary of a £124,000 payout in the event of his death, the court heard.
Michelle Mills also allegedly said she wanted her husband dead so she and her lover could 'move forward' together.
The former Marine then 'recruited' fellow soldier Steven Thomas to carry out the attack, arming themselves with guns while wearing masks.
But the mission on September 20, 2024 was botched after the pair were disarmed by Mr Mills and fled to hide in some nearby bushes.
Armed officers and police dogs rushed to the scene at Cenarth, Carmarthenshire in Wales before a police helicopter spotted the duo and they gave themselves up.
Cheating wife Michelle Mills convinced her ex-Royal Marine lover to kill her soldier husband Christopher so she could cash in his life insurance, a court has heard.
Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry were in the middle of a three-month love affair when the former decided she wanted her husband 'gone one way or another'.
Michelle Mills told officers she never wanted her husband to be hurt and claimed killing him was 'just a fantasy that she could escape to'.
The court heard the three defendants had conspired together to murder Mr Mills, but all three deny the charges. Michelle Mills also denies attempting to pervert the court of justice in relation to deleting phone messages and her account to police.
Berry and Thomas have previously pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear.
The court heard Berry and Michelle Mills were in a sexual relationship and sent extensive text messages in the months leading up to the murder attempt.
These included a message from Berry to his 'queen' Michelle Mills saying he would put her husband 'in the f*ing ground.'
He also allegedly said he would 'f*ing kill him' while talking about arranging for hitmen to carry out the killing of Mr Mills.
According to prosecutor Jonathan Rees KC, Mr Mills had served in the Army before leaving to work for the Alabare homeless charity and later Help For Heroes.
It was through this charity work that he received his life insurance policy, which his wife was allegedly keen to get her hands on.
The court also heard that Michelle Mills was South Wales manager for Alabare when she met Berry while he was being provided with accommodation by the charity.
Michelle Mills told Berry that her husband was violent towards her during sex and had threatened to 'break her in' on the night of the raid.
She told police in interview that she could not leave him because she believed she would 'end up on the street' with nothing.
Mr Rees said: 'Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry had embarked on a secret sexual relationship which, on Geraint Berry's part at least, had become increasingly intense.
'Berry, encouraged on by Michelle Mills, had become increasingly occupied by hostile thoughts about Christopher Mills.'
He added: 'She said she was concerned that if she left Christopher Mills he would sell up everything they owned and she would have been left with nothing.'
Michelle Mills and Berry allegedly hatched a series of plans to kill her husband, including ground-up sleeping pills in his drink, smothering him with a pillow, putting foxgloves in his salad, and sneaking anti-freeze into his gravy.
The court heard Berry had messaged an Army supplies shop to ask for advice on how to 'blow up' a Mini Cooper S - the same car driven by Mr Mills.
Berry had also enquired about a gun suppresser and bullets while saying: 'I need to get rid of someone.'
He claimed that there had been two 'aborted' visits to the caravan on separate nights before the alleged attack took place.
After the failed attempt, Berry and Thomas fled the scene before being stopped by police and found with gasmasks containing filter canisters, as well as cable ties, pliers, cloths and a telescopic gun sight in their ruscksacks.
There was also a fake 'suicide note' made to look like it was written by Mr Mills and addressed to his wife, whose nickname is 'Babs'.
The court heard Michelle Mills sent a message to Berry shortly after the raid telling him: 'Police have been called. Get away. Delete all contact on both phones. I love you.'
She told police in the aftermath of the incident she did not know the men and could not think of a reason why anybody would want to rob the couple.
The unfaithful wife later told officers her 'fantasist' lover Berry said he would 'make it look like suicide' before she printed out the bogus suicide note he sent her.
Mr Rees said: 'Michelle Mills said she had no input into the writing of the fake suicide letter.
'She accepted she printed off the letter but said she didn't read it. She then gave the letter to Geraint Berry.'
The court heard Michelle Mills told police: 'He (Berry) did mention about suicide and things you know, to make it look like Chris had committed suicide, but I thought it was all fantasy.'
Mr Rees said Michelle Mills told officers she had a sexual relationship with Berry but denied that she loved him and claimed she 'never thought she was encouraging him'.
Mr Rees said:'She accepted there was a jealousy element to Geraint Berry that she was aware of but she didn't accept that she fed his jealousy.
'She denied that she was stoking the fire.'
The trial at Swansea Crown Court before Mr Justice Nicklin is expected to last three weeks.