Co-accused was ‘intimidated’ into caravan attack

One of the masked men accused of plotting to kill Christopher Mills at the caravan he shared with his wife was “intimidated” into taking part by fellow military veteran and co-accused Geraint Berry, a court has heard.

Veteran Steven Thomas, 47, from Blaengwynfi, Nearth Port Talbot, denies conspiring to murder Mr Mills, with ex-Marine Berry, 46, from Clydach, Swansea and Mr Mills’ wife, Michelle, also 46.

Mr Mills was attacked by two masked men in Cenarth, Carmarthenshire, in September last year. All three of the accused deny the charges.

“I had no idea what he was going to do,” Mr Thomas told a jury at Swansea Crown Court,, adding he believed Mr Berry “just wanted a fight with someone”.

Speaking in court on Tuesday, Mr Thomas told the jury he lived in the same flat complex as Mr Berry, and that he had agreed to “help him” because Mr Berry told him a man had done something to his daughter.

Mr Thomas appeared tearful in the witness stand, describing Mr Berry as “intimidating” and “overpowering”.

The jury heard Mr Thomas had found his brother dead having taken his own life a matter of weeks before the attack which took place on 20 September 2024.

On that day, Mr Thomas told the court he drove Mr Berry to the caravan site with him “guiding” them on Google Maps.

“I didn’t really think anything was going to happen,” Mr Thomas said. “I thought he might be beating someone up, after what he said about his daughter.”

However, when Mr Berry passed him a balaclava and a gun as they headed towards the caravan site, he said he panicked.

He recalled Mr Berry telling him, “don’t worry, it doesn’t work” as he handed over a gun.

“I was in panic at that point, I just wanted to get away,” Mr Thomas said.

The jury previously heard how Mr Berry had been in a secret relationship with Mr Mills’ wife over the past three months, during which time the couple had shared fantasies about killing her husband.

Mr Thomas said he had never met Christopher Mills – and had only met Michelle Mills after his brother’s death – in her capacity as the manager of his flat complex, with the homeless charity for veterans, Alabaré.

Following the attack, in which Mr Mills fought off the masked men, armed police found both Mr Berry and Mr Thomas hiding in undergrowth near the caravan site.

The three defendants deny conspiracy to murder Mr Mills.

Mrs Mills, from Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, also denies perverting the course of justice by deleting messages and giving police a false account.

The trial continues.