Parachute trial: Emile Cilliers sentenced to life for attempted murder of wife

Army sergeant Emile Cilliers has been sentenced to life in prison for the attempted murder of his wife Victoria by tampering with her parachute and by sabotaging a gas valve at their home in Amesbury.

The 38 year old had pleaded not guilty.

He will serve a minimum of 18 years in prison before being considered for parole.

Victoria Cilliers, a highly-experienced parachuting instructor, suffered near-fatal injuries when her main and reserve parachutes failed during a jump at Netheravon Airfield near Salisbury in Wiltshire.

It happened at the Army Parachute Association on Easter Sunday, 5th April 2015.

Cilliers, of the Royal Army Training Corps, faced two charges of attempted murder and a third charge of damaging a gas fitting recklessly endangering life.

He was found guilty of all three counts in a retrial of the case at Winchester Crown Court.

Victoria was in court to see her husband sentenced for attempting to murder her twice.

She asked for her Victim Impact Statement not be read out in court.

The pre-sentence report said Cilliers poses a 'high risk' to adults, particularly partners and a 'medium risk' to children.

The prosecuting counsel described him as 'dangerous'.

• Watch reporter Rob Murphy's interview with Detective Inspector Paul Franklin from Wiltshire Police below

Some elements of Rob's report contain reconstruction scenes.