A woman and her lover who plotted to kill her husband so they could continue their affair have both been jailed for 19 years.

Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry planned to murder Christopher Mills and make it look like suicide.

They were found guilty of conspiracy to murder after a trial at Swansea Crown Court in October.

A third person, Steven Thomas, was found not guilty of conspiracy to murder but pleaded guilty to a firearms charge.

Police were called on 20 September last year to reports masked men carrying guns, later found to be Berry and Thomas, had entered a caravan in Cenarth, Ceredigion, and assaulted Mr Mills.

Despite being badly beaten, he was able to fight them off and they fled.

Michelle Mills, 46, made an emergency call to say her husband had a head injury and claimed the men responsible were unknown to her.

A police helicopter spotted Berry, 46, and Thomas, 47, hiding in nearby undergrowth.

While searching the pair, officers found gas masks and a fake suicide note addressed to Mills purporting to have been written by her husband.

Police quickly established that Mills, of Llangennech in Carmarthenshire, was linked to the plot.

Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry

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Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry

Christopher Mills fought off his attackers. Pic: Dimitris Legakis/Athena Pictures/Shutterstock

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Christopher Mills fought off his attackers. Pic: Dimitris Legakis/Athena Pictures/Shutterstock

Digital evidence revealed she and Berry had been in a secret relationship for around three months and had discussed ways to kill Mr Mills.

Berry had begun making arrangements for someone to shoot him and also looked into making his Mini explode on start up.

Police said when Berry told Mills he was meeting with some “boys” to plan “what they are going to do with him”, she responded: “Yes, lovely, thank you.”

The judge at Friday’s sentencing said the masks found indicated the plot they settled on was to gas him.

Gas masks and a fake suicide note were found on Berry and Thomas

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Gas masks and a fake suicide note were found on Berry and Thomas

A gun was also found

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A gun was also found

Detective Inspector Sam Gregory said: “Berry and Mills had previously discussed using gas to kill Mr Mills, while making it look like he had taken his own life.

“Berry had asked Mills where the boiler was, and he and Thomas carried gas masks that would have protected themselves while Mr Mills suffocated.

“No explanation has been given by any of the three defendants for the fake suicide note or the gas masks in the rucksack.

“What’s clear is that these were not being used to frighten Mr Mills – they were there to set up a fake suicide.”

Steven Thomas was sentenced to 12 months but will be released immediately due to time on remand.