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

[patCee]

I would like to have seen his reaction when he learned that he was not a beneficiary to the life insurance.

 

[Legally Bland]

Just thinking out loud, but if VC hadn't survived would we have known about him taking the parachute into the toilet?

I'm wondering if there was enough to convict.

I have a horrible feeling he may have got away with this if he had been successful.

 

[Alyce]

Just thinking out loud, but if VC hadn't survived would we have known about him taking the parachute into the toilet?

I'm wondering if there was enough to covict.

I have a horrible feeling he may have got away this if he had been successful.

I had not realised ( or had forgotten ) that he used his daughter as the excuse to go into the toilets ! what an awful thing for her to have to deal with as she grows up.

 

[Legally Bland]

I had not realised ( or had forgotten ) that he used his daughter as the excuse to go into the toilets ! what an awful thing for her to have to deal with as she grows up.

I can't remember it being reported in the 2nd trial, but definitely it was in the first trial.

It got a bit blurry for me rereading the same evidence, so may have been mentioned.

But taking a kid to the toilet takes as long as it takes. There's a lot more leeway before the length of time would appear strange.

Whatever happened with the 1st jury, at least thanks to them we know he would have only needed 5 minutes, whilst the expert initially didn't think it was possible.

 

[patCee]

Just thinking out loud, but if VC hadn't survived would we have known about him taking the parachute into the toilet?

I'm wondering if there was enough to convict.

I have a horrible feeling he may have got away with this if he had been successful.

Shudder, I'm reassuring myself there would have been some investigation re the parachute if Victoria hadn't lived, just for the fact that the parachute had been interfered with, and it had been kept at the house overnight. The interference with the gas may never have come out though unless a friend or someone had known about it. Terrifying to think that he might have got away with it and could have ended up as the main carer of the children.

 

[Tortoise]

Shudder, I'm reassuring myself there would have been some investigation re the parachute if Victoria hadn't lived, just for the fact that the parachute had been interfered with, and it had been kept at the house overnight. The interference with the gas may never have come out though unless a friend or someone had known about it. Terrifying to think that he might have got away with it and could have ended up as the main carer of the children.

The chute was put into a locker at the hangar overnight but no difference, it wasn't put back into the store.

It might have taken them longer but I think they'd have got there in the end, particularly with an examination of VC's texts about the gas and the gas fitter being called out to fix it. The trial might have been more straightforward without VC's evidence, ironically, because I think they would have had to make that assumption that he had gone off with the kit, in the absence of anyone else with a motive to tamper with it.

 

[Tortoise]

I would like to have seen his reaction when he learned that he was not a beneficiary to the life insurance.

Me too, and that she had changed her will

 

[patCee]

The chute was put into a locker at the hangar overnight but no difference, it wasn't put back into the store.

It might have taken them longer but I think they'd have got there in the end, particularly with an examination of VC's texts about the gas and the gas fitter being called out to fix it. The trial might have been more straightforward without VC's evidence, ironically, because I think they would have had to make that assumption that he had gone off with the kit, in the absence of anyone else with a motive to tamper with it.

Thanks Tortoise, I didn't know it had been in a locker, though not returning it to the store, or the messages from Victoria re the gas link. Not sure now where I got that it was taken home. I was clearly struggling to keep up.

 

[Tortoise]

Thanks Tortoise, I didn't know it had been in a locker, though not returning it to the store, or the messages from Victoria re the gas link. Not sure now where I got that it was taken home. I was clearly struggling to keep up.

Yes she texted him and asked if he had touched the gas tap, even pointing out the blood on it that turned out to be his! His reply was to get her to try the hob to see if it worked but she said no.

 

[patCee]

Yes she texted him and asked if he had touched the gas tap, even pointing out the blood on it that turned out to be his! His reply was to get her to try the hob to see if it worked but she said no.

Ahh! I remember now. I do have these blank moments, overload I think.

 

[patCee]

Well, several shocks for Emile despite his careful planning, not a beneficiary in his wife's will or life insurance, and discovered the gas leak before any danger. Plus in his 'wildest dreams' (literally) he would never have believed she could survive that parachute jump. He must have thought he'd 'succeeded when Victoria boarded the plane on that terrible day. Now he's in prison for at least the next 18 years, probably longer in view of the Judge's report.

 

[Supernovae]

How do you embed an image of a Tweet?

 

[Shiressleuth]

How do you embed an image of a Tweet?

I only know how to copy and paste the tweet text.
Eg.
scottellisbbc@scott4sarah1
9hDefence for Emile Cilliers says he's reduced debts from £23,000 to £10,000, but losing his army career is a "tragedy." Adds life sentence is unnecessary at Winchester Crown Court.View details ·

 

[Tortoise]

[Elizabeth Marsh QC] continued: “He was desperate to see his children, reunite with them and make reparations to his wife for all the wrongs he had done. He has fought to try to see his children where possible in recent months but that has been forbidden.

Ex-Army Sergeant Jailed For Trying To Kill Wife With Tampered Parachute

That's quite a statement following his conviction.

 

[Legally Bland]

Well, I assume EC wasn't trying to see the kids he abandoned in South Africa.

He was trying to see the kids where it was possible to influence the main witness against him.

I wonder if proceedings in family court played a part in VC thinking EC was the family man fighting for his kids.

Maybe I'm being too cynical, but I think this was a ploy, and I've seen worse in family court during my time on Websleuths, trying to influence a criminal trial, with absolutely no regards to the children's welfare.

 

[patCee]

It's unlikely Cilliers will ever be allowed to see his children after attempting to murder their mother, and trying to set an explosion in the house without regard to his children safety. Too dangerous and wouldn't be allowed until they're young adults and able to make up their own minds whether to meet a father who tried to kill their mother and treated them as collateral damage.

 

[Alyce]

How do you embed an image of a Tweet?

It seems to have changed with the new WS website. I used to click on embed tweet but now I cant seem to get that to work.

Instead I have clicked on Copy Link to Tweet but it has only produced the link to the tweet ( see below ) it has not brought up the full tweet and image, as used to work on the old site.

Jonathan Knight on Twitter

 

[Moll]

Well, I assume EC wasn't trying to see the kids he abandoned in South Africa.

He was trying to see the kids where it was possible to influence the main witness against him.

I wonder if proceedings in family court played a part in VC thinking EC was the family man fighting for his kids.

Maybe I'm being too cynical, but I think this was a ploy, and I've seen worse in family court during my time on Websleuths, trying to influence a criminal trial, with absolutely no regards to the children's welfare.

Agreed, LB.
This case has been heartening in that those in the legal system, the police and the parachute people (vague term covering the Netheravon and other experts! ) persisted in the face of the victim's inability to do so. If they hadn't, I hate to think what would have happened over the next few years.

 

[Alyce]

Just seen this in the DM


The eldest daughter of the Army sergeant who tried to kill his wife by cutting her parachute has said she is glad he is in prison.

Emile Cilliers' daughter Cilene said her father's conviction was 'justice for everyone who has crossed paths with him and been hurt'.
Cilene, 18, did not know until the trial that she had four half-brothers and sisters who were children of Cilliers by different women.
Cilene, whose mother was Nicolene Shepherd - another partner - said: 'Dad did manage to achieve something good – his children.

'I'd love to get to know them all properly. They're my half brothers and sisters and have lost their father, just like me.'

She said her father was 'nowhere to be seen' when she was young as Cilliers was secretly maintaining a relationship with British woman Carly Taylor.
Cilene said that 10 years had passed without seeing him, in which time she tried to contact Cilliers on social media but received no response, before they met again in a Travelodge.

She said they shared a 'weak and awkward' when Cilliers met Cilene and her brother and she was left feeling 'disappointed' and 'sidelined'.


Eldest daughter of parachute plot army sergeant says she's glad he's in jail | Daily Mail Online

 

[Tortoise]

Just seen this in the DM


The eldest daughter of the Army sergeant who tried to kill his wife by cutting her parachute has said she is glad he is in prison.

Emile Cilliers' daughter Cilene said her father's conviction was 'justice for everyone who has crossed paths with him and been hurt'.
Cilene, 18, did not know until the trial that she had four half-brothers and sisters who were children of Cilliers by different women.
Cilene, whose mother was Nicolene Shepherd - another partner - said: 'Dad did manage to achieve something good – his children.

'I'd love to get to know them all properly. They're my half brothers and sisters and have lost their father, just like me.'

She said her father was 'nowhere to be seen' when she was young as Cilliers was secretly maintaining a relationship with British woman Carly Taylor.
Cilene said that 10 years had passed without seeing him, in which time she tried to contact Cilliers on social media but received no response, before they met again in a Travelodge.

She said they shared a 'weak and awkward' when Cilliers met Cilene and her brother and she was left feeling 'disappointed' and 'sidelined'.


Eldest daughter of parachute plot army sergeant says she's glad he's in jail | Daily Mail Online

Makes a complete mockery of his barrister's statement to the court in mitigation of sentence:

“He was desperate to see his children, reunite with them ... He has fought to try to see his children where possible in recent months but that has been forbidden."