SKYDIVE MURDER BID RAP

Army sergeant appears in court charged with attempting to murder his wife twice in ten days after ‘tampering’ with her PARACHUTE

South-African born sergeant allegedly tampered with a domestic gas fitting and faces two charges of attempted murder and one of criminal damage

Mike Sullivan

Published: 20:13, 14 Oct 2016
Updated: 5:06, 15 Oct 2016

AN Army sergeant arrested after his skydiving wife’s parachute failed to open properly appeared in court yesterday accused of trying to murder her.

Victoria Cilliers, 40, survived the 4,000ft plunge but suffered multiple serious injuries and spent three weeks in hospital.

Skydive murder bid . . . Sergeant Emile Cilliers with his wife Victoria, who he tried to 'kill twice in ten days'

Her canopy was sabotaged as Sgt Emile Cilliers, 36, tried to kill her twice in the space of ten days, prosecutors claim.

He also allegedly tampered with a domestic gas fitting.

The South African-born sergeant was taken into custody in May — a year after his wife’s jump in Netheravon, Wilts.

Under suspicion . . . Sgt Emile faces two charges of attempted murder and one of criminal damage — Under suspicion . . . Sgt Emile faces two charges of attempted murder and one of criminal damageCredit: PA:Press Association

Victoria, pictured here preparing for a skydive, was seriously injured when she crashed down to earth — Victoria, pictured here preparing for a skydive, was seriously injured when she crashed down to earthCredit: Facebook

At the time of his arrest he was working as an instructor with the Royal Army Physical Training Corps attached to the Royal Marines.

He was bailed by Salisbury magistrates on condition he does not contact his wife.

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Victoria Cilliers with husband Emile who was charged with trying to murder his wife by tampering with the parachute — Victoria Cilliers with husband Emile who was charged with trying to murder his wife by tampering with the parachuteCredit: Pixel 8

The court was told by his lawyer he will plead not guilty to the three charges he faces at his trial — two of attempted murder and one of criminal damage.

Cilliers, who currently lives in barracks in Aldershot, Hants, was ordered to appear next month at Winchester crown court.