GUILTY Uk - Emile Cilliers Accused Of Tampering W/ Wife's Parachute, Wiltshire, 5 April 2015

[Tortoise]

Short interview with DI Franklin in this article Parachute trial: Emile Cilliers sentenced to life for attempted murder of wife

 

[Tortoise]

Today (15 June 2018) at Winchester Crown Court Emile Cilliers, aged 38, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 18 years after being found guilty of attempting to murder his wife Victoria by tampering with her parachute.

On Thursday 24 May at Winchester Crown Court, a jury convicted Cilliers of two charges of attempted murder and one of criminal damage with intent to endanger life after he tampered with a gas valve at their family home and then his wife's parachute, causing it to fail during a jump. Fortunately Victoria made a miraculous recovery.

Det Insp Paul Franklin said: "We welcome today's sentencing, which brings to an end of a very long and detailed investigation.
"From the outset, Emile Cilliers showed no remorse for what he had done; he lied all the way through two trials but in the end justice won out with the guilty verdicts and now a long prison sentence.
"Emile Cilliers is dangerous; he's a cold, callous, selfish man who cares only about money and his sexual conquests. Today's sentencing means that society is a little safer with him locked away.
"I also hope this result means that there can now be some closure for his wife Victoria and her family, who were victims in this.
"Wiltshire Police is dedicated in bringing offenders like Cilliers to justice as well as giving help to those who find themselves in subtle abusive and coercive relationships - like the one highlighted here.
"Often, the abuse is not obvious because there may be no physical tell tale signs or injuries. "However, a victim suffering emotional and financial abuse, as in this case, can be just as deeply traumatised.
"If you find yourself in that situation please seek help - there are many people who are there for you."

Angus Macpherson, Wiltshire and Swindon's Police and Crime Commissioner, said: "Today's sentencing is very much welcomed and rightly reflects the seriousness of this man's appalling actions.

"Victims in coercive relationships, as well as those in domestic abuse situations, can be assured that as a Force we will listen, will act and the courts will recognise the devastating impact these types of crimes have when sentencing.

"A dangerous man is now unable to harm any more people as a result of the hard work and dedication by Wiltshire Police officers on a challenging and complex operation."

Emile Cillers sentenced for attempting to murder his wife - Wiltshire Police

 

[patCee]

I don't think you need to admit guilt as such, but it makes it more difficult for a prisoner to claim they have been rehabilitated, and have remorse for the offence if they still claim to be innocent.

Getting parole

 

[Moll]

Thanks, Tortoise and Alyce, for your reporting. Such a frustrating case, still, when you can't get more detail of what's been said. But that's a very good result (for anyone i.e. most people who think EC is indisputably guilty). And at least you got some knitting done...
This is all they had on the BBC website just now, I dare say there will be a bit more.
Parachute murder bid husband jailed

 

[patCee]

The pre sentence report stated he was high risk to adults especially partners; medium risk to children. The risk to children can't be right as he interfered with the gas valve. He had no way of knowing whether the children would be present if the house had blown up or caught fire. They were collateral damage to him. That surely makes him high risk to children too.

 

[Tortoise]

Sentencing Cilliers, Mr Justice Sweeney said: “This was wicked offending of extreme gravity.”

He added: “Your offending was extremely serious with your two attempts to murder your wife. They were planned and carried out in cold blood for your own selfish purposes which include financial gain.”

Describing the impact on Mrs Cilliers, the judge continued: “That your wife recovered at all was miraculous, she undoubtedly suffered severe physical harm and she must have suffered psychological harm in the terror of the fall and since.

“She appears to have recovered from the physical harm but not, having seen her in the witness box at length, from the psychological harm.”

'Wicked' army sergeant who tried to murder his wife by sabotaging her parachute jailed for life

 

[Tortoise]

The pre sentence report stated he was high risk to adults especially partners; medium risk to children. The risk to children can't be right as he interfered with the gas valve. He had no way of knowing whether the children would be present if the house had blown up or caught fire. They were collateral damage to him. That surely makes him high risk to children too.

I don't think medium risk reflects adequately a father who would do that to his own children. It's quite shocking actually that this was a professional evaluation.

 

[patCee]

Parachute murder bid husband jailed

The Judge described 3 motives for Cilliers in this case - the money from the life insurance; his wish to start life with another women and the fact his wife was a senior officer to him and could negatively influence his army career.

 

[Alyce]

Sentencing remarks in full


https://crimeline.co.uk/wp-content/...marks-winchester-crown-court-15-june-2018.pdf

 

[Tortoise]

Is is cynical of me to think he did all his recent charity fund raising as a last-ditch attempt to get a good recommendation in court?

 

[KarenUK]

Is is cynical of me to think he did all his recent charity fund raising as a last-ditch attempt to get a good recommendation in court?

It's pure coincidence, I'm sure!

 

[Alyce]

Is is cynical of me to think he did all his recent charity fund raising as a last-ditch attempt to get a good recommendation in court?

and tweeted about it

 

[Tortoise]

Sentencing remarks in full


https://crimeline.co.uk/wp-content/...marks-winchester-crown-court-15-june-2018.pdf

Thank you Alyce. I hope VC in time comes to digest that.

 

[Legally Bland]

Today (15 June 2018) at Winchester Crown Court Emile Cilliers, aged 38, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 18 years after being found guilty of attempting to murder his wife Victoria by tampering with her parachute.

On Thursday 24 May at Winchester Crown Court, a jury convicted Cilliers of two charges of attempted murder and one of criminal damage with intent to endanger life after he tampered with a gas valve at their family home and then his wife's parachute, causing it to fail during a jump. Fortunately Victoria made a miraculous recovery.

Det Insp Paul Franklin said: "We welcome today's sentencing, which brings to an end of a very long and detailed investigation.
"From the outset, Emile Cilliers showed no remorse for what he had done; he lied all the way through two trials but in the end justice won out with the guilty verdicts and now a long prison sentence.
"Emile Cilliers is dangerous; he's a cold, callous, selfish man who cares only about money and his sexual conquests. Today's sentencing means that society is a little safer with him locked away.
"I also hope this result means that there can now be some closure for his wife Victoria and her family, who were victims in this.
"Wiltshire Police is dedicated in bringing offenders like Cilliers to justice as well as giving help to those who find themselves in subtle abusive and coercive relationships - like the one highlighted here.
"Often, the abuse is not obvious because there may be no physical tell tale signs or injuries. "However, a victim suffering emotional and financial abuse, as in this case, can be just as deeply traumatised.
"If you find yourself in that situation please seek help - there are many people who are there for you."

Angus Macpherson, Wiltshire and Swindon's Police and Crime Commissioner, said: "Today's sentencing is very much welcomed and rightly reflects the seriousness of this man's appalling actions.

"Victims in coercive relationships, as well as those in domestic abuse situations, can be assured that as a Force we will listen, will act and the courts will recognise the devastating impact these types of crimes have when sentencing.

"A dangerous man is now unable to harm any more people as a result of the hard work and dedication by Wiltshire Police officers on a challenging and complex operation."

Emile Cillers sentenced for attempting to murder his wife - Wiltshire Police

I really hope Victoria reads this and the sentencing remarks and has a bit of a reevaluation of her relationship with EC.

 

[Supernovae]

Sentencing remarks:

R -v- Emile Cilliers – sentencing remarks

 

[patCee]

Thank goodness the Judge recognised the danger Cilliers presents to children as well. This will, I'm sure, be something that will affect his life additionally, with any woman he hooks up with, whenever he's thought to be fit for release.

 

[Moll]

Thanks for posting the judge's sentencing remarks, Alyce - excellent to read his logical and sensible laying out of the facts.
I share everyone's cynicism about EC's good works!

 

[Alyce]

Even though I feel 18 years is not enough, I am at least pleased to know that his two children ( with VC ) will both be adults by then and will have been able to grow up without him around.
Like others, I also hope VC will, in time, come to realise what a dangerous psychopath this man is and be able to move away completely from any contact or connection with him.

 

[Hatfield]

Glad to see the case was decided the way it was. I think they got it right.

 

[Supernovae]

These are the definitive sentencing guidelines:

https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.u...der_-_Definitive_Guideline_webaccessible1.pdf

It would arguably fall within level 1 seriousness: looking at Annex A, 5(2)(c) (attempted) murder for gain, because of the life insurance, I'd imagine with serious to long term physical and emotional harm. Taking all that together, the sentence range would be 27-35 years. If not, it would be level 2: 17-25 years. I think those ranges refer to determinate sentences rather than tariffs for life sentences. If it is a life sentence the tariff (minimum sentence) will be half the appropriate determinate sentence.

I see that Alyce had already posted them but from the sentencing remarks:

I must next consider the length of the minimum term that you must serve before the Parole Board can begin to consider whether it is safe for you to be released. That involves consideration of the determinate sentence that I would have passed had that been the appropriate course.

Whilst I disagree with the prosecution that, if successful, the first attempt would have been murder by the use of an explosive (as opposed to a gas explosion), it is not disputed that, if either attempt had been successful, it would have been murder done for gain, would have involved a starting point for the minimum term of 30 years (the equivalent of a determinate term of 60 years), and that thus both attempts are Category 1 offences as defined in the Guideline in relation to attempted murder.

In my view, the best way to determine the length of the determinate sentence that I would have passed is to reflect your overall criminality in the sentence on Count 3, and to impose concurrent sentences on the other offences.

I must first determine the starting point. There was clearly very high culpability, because the offence was premeditated and carefully planned and carried out in cold blood, partly in the presence of your daughter. There was clearly much more than some harm as a result. That your wife survived at all was miraculous. She undoubtedly suffered severe physical harm and must, I am sure, have suffered psychological harm both in the terror of the fall and since. She appears, however, to have recovered from her physical injuries, but not in my view, having seen her in the witness box at great length, from the psychological harm. Taking all those matters into account, the starting point that I take is one of 28 years.

I must then balance the additional aggravating features and the mitigating features.

The additional aggravating features are very serious, namely that there was a previous attempt, also planned and carried out in cold blood for gain, though not involving any physical harm; that that attempt additionally involved the presence of, and reckless endangerment of the lives of, your very young children; and that both attempts involved the abuse of a position of trust.

The mitigating features advanced are that your ultimately successful career in the army has been lost; you attended your trial when you could have taken flight; your endeavours to pursue association with your children; that you have no other family in this country which, together with the fact your limited opportunities to participate in sport during your time in custody, add to your burdens; your behaviour over the last three years as attested to in the three character references before me, and including good works and the reduction of your debt; and the support that will be available to you on release.

In my view, the additional aggravating features very significantly outweigh the mitigating features such that, even giving full effect to the principle of totality, the ultimate determinate sentence would have been one of 36 years.

I must then halve that, which gives a minimum term of 18 years.

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content...marks-winchester-crown-court-15-june-2018.pdf