Army Sergeant To Stand Trial For Attempted Murder Of Wife

A jury panel has been selected for the trial of an Army sergeant accused of the attempted murder of his wife whose parachute failed to open during a 4,000ft.

The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, adjourned the trial at Winchester Crown Court for the chosen jurors to be sworn in and for the prosecution to open its case on Wednesday.

Emile Cillers had previously pleaded not guilty to three charges after his wife Victoria Cillers suffered multiple injuries in April 2015.

The 40-year-old had recently given birth to the couple's second child when she jumped alone from a Cessna light aircraft over Netheravon Airfield in Wiltshire.

Her main canopy failed to deploy at 3,000ft while the reserve chute then only partially opened.

Mrs Cilliers hit the ground at approximately 30mph suffering multiple injuries, including broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a broken leg and spinal injuries.

File photo of Winchester Crown Court

She spent three weeks in hospital before returning home.

Mr Cillers, who hails from Aldershot in Hampshire, will go on trial at Winchester Crown Court for two charges of attempting to murder his wife.

He continues to deny the charges.

One offence is believed to have taken place between March 24th and 31st, 2015, with the second occurring between April 3rd and 6th in the same year.

Mr Cilliers also denies a charge of damaging a gas fitting belonging to his wife between March 28th and 31st 2015.

The 37-year-old was an instructor with the Royal Army Physical Training Corps attached to the Royal Engineers at the time of his arrest.