Wife and lover plotted to shoot, burn, poison and drown husband Published duration 15 November 2018

image copyright JIM BENNETT image caption Ray Weatherall was shot in the face in one of the murder attempts

A wife plotted with her lover and his daughter to kill her terminally ill husband by poisoning him and shooting him in the face.

Ray Weatherall survived a number of attempts on his life, including a swimming pool heater explosion which left him with second degree burns

His wife Hayley Weatherall, 32, also planned to kill him using sleeping tablets and insulin.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court found her guilty of conspiracy to murder.

Her lover Glenn Pollard, 49, and his daughter Heather, 20, were also convicted of the same charge.

The court heard Mr Weatherall, 53, was told by doctors in early 2016 he had just 18 months to live.

'Sniper' shot

Jurors were told his wife had been having an affair with Pollard, who was her husband's best friend, and they planned to have a new life together.

Prosecutor Simon Taylor said there had been a series of plots on Mr Weatherall's life, including the swimming pool explosion and the poison plan.

The court heard there was an aborted plan by Glenn Pollard to push Mr Weatherall overboard during a fishing trip in a boat they co-owned.

On 29 November last year Mr Weatherall was shot in the face at Sandwich Marina, but survived when the bullet hit his right cheekbone.

The conspiracy only came to light when Heather Pollard's car was found to have been near the marina at the time of the shooting.

The court heard both the Pollards had access to guns, with Glenn a registered owner of a rifle found to be consistent with firing the "sniper" shot.

Heather Pollard, described as a "devoted" daughter, also carried out internet searches on the best ways to kill somebody and not get caught, the court heard.