Two jurors discharged due to ill health in case of soldier accused of attempting to murder wife by tampering with parachute

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

The judge in the trial of an army sergeant accused of attempting to murder his wife by tampering with her parachute has told the jury to ensure there is no bullying between them, as he discharged two members on the grounds of ill health.

The nine women and three men on the jury have been deliberating for 24 hours in the trial of Emile Cilliers, which started more than seven weeks ago.

The judge gave a direction on Tuesday that he would accept majority verdicts, but 90 minutes later one of the jurors became ill.

On Wednesday morning, the forewoman of the jury also became ill and Mr Justice Sweeney, discharged the two jurors after receiving medical certificates.

He told the remaning 10 that jury service was not easy and involved serious civic responsibility.

“By their very nature, some trials require jurors to address deeply sensitive human problems, and some discussions may be fierce or tempestuous, with powerful arguments and counterarguments,” he said.

“In such cases, discussions by their nature will be exhausting. However, and obviously, all must remain within the proper bounds of discussion, and not amount to improper pressure or bullying.

“Each member of the jury has equal responsibility for the verdicts, and whilst it is perhaps inevitable that different views will be expressed about different features of the case, confidence in the jury system ultimately depends upon the fact that there is mutual respect amongst members of the jury, and reasonable give and take between them, with an opportunity for each to be heard, and his or her opinions listened to respectfully and attentively, and then reasonably considered by all.”

Cilliers, of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps, is accused of two counts of attempting to murder Victoria Cilliers.

Victoria Cilliers, an experienced parachuting instructor, sustained near-fatal injuries when she took part in a jump at the Army Parachute Association at Netheravon, Wiltshire, on Easter Sunday in 2015.

Cilliers, 37, is accused of sabotaging her main and reserve parachute and a few days earlier tampering with a gas valve at the family home in Amesbury, Wiltshire. He was having two affairs at the time.



The defendant denies two counts of attempted murder and one of criminal damage to the gas valve, recklessly endangering life. He suggested in court that a stranger may have tampered with his wife’s parachute.

The trial at Winchester crown court continues.