This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/oct/18/attempted-trial-jury-shown-how-to-sabotage-a-parachute
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Attempted murder trial jury shown how to sabotage a parachute | Attempted murder trial jury shown how to sabotage a parachute |
| (13 days later) | |
| The court hearing the trial of a soldier accused of trying to kill his wife with a sabotaged parachute has been shown a video demonstrating how it could be done in a toilet cubicle in just over five minutes. | The court hearing the trial of a soldier accused of trying to kill his wife with a sabotaged parachute has been shown a video demonstrating how it could be done in a toilet cubicle in just over five minutes. |
| Sgt Emile Cilliers, 37, is accused of tampering with the chute of his former army officer wife, Victoria Cilliers, the day before a jump at Easter in April 2015. | Sgt Emile Cilliers, 37, is accused of tampering with the chute of his former army officer wife, Victoria Cilliers, the day before a jump at Easter in April 2015. |
| Prosecutors allege the NCO in the Royal Army Physical Training Corps took the chute into a lavatory at the airfield at Netheravon, Wiltshire, and twisted the lines of the main parachute before removing vital parts called “slinks” from the reserve. | Prosecutors allege the NCO in the Royal Army Physical Training Corps took the chute into a lavatory at the airfield at Netheravon, Wiltshire, and twisted the lines of the main parachute before removing vital parts called “slinks” from the reserve. |
| The jury at Winchester crown court had asked if they could be shown a demonstration of how this might be done in the tight space of the toilets, having visited Netheravon last week. | The jury at Winchester crown court had asked if they could be shown a demonstration of how this might be done in the tight space of the toilets, having visited Netheravon last week. |
| Mark Bayada, the Army Parachute Association’s chief instructor at Netheravon, an expert witness for the prosecution, carried out the filmed demonstration using two different parachutes, the court heard. | Mark Bayada, the Army Parachute Association’s chief instructor at Netheravon, an expert witness for the prosecution, carried out the filmed demonstration using two different parachutes, the court heard. |
| He used one which was the same size (14 sq metres) as that used by Mrs Cilliers on her near-fatal jump but also another slightly larger parachute (16 sq metres) because the container for the smaller one was a newer model which was slightly different from the one she used. | He used one which was the same size (14 sq metres) as that used by Mrs Cilliers on her near-fatal jump but also another slightly larger parachute (16 sq metres) because the container for the smaller one was a newer model which was slightly different from the one she used. |
| Bayada completed the sabotage of the larger one in five minutes and 15 seconds and the smaller one in five minutes and five seconds. | Bayada completed the sabotage of the larger one in five minutes and 15 seconds and the smaller one in five minutes and five seconds. |
| Bayada said that he had used a specialist metal packing paddle tool to help re-stow the reserve, but added: “Some people might be able to do it by hand, but if you did need to use a metal object, a knife or fork from the canteen, a ruler, even a small mobile phone, just something solid to help push the riders down.” | Bayada said that he had used a specialist metal packing paddle tool to help re-stow the reserve, but added: “Some people might be able to do it by hand, but if you did need to use a metal object, a knife or fork from the canteen, a ruler, even a small mobile phone, just something solid to help push the riders down.” |
| To tamper with the main parachute, he placed the parachute bag through the reserve to “replicate” the malfunction experienced by Mrs Cilliers. | To tamper with the main parachute, he placed the parachute bag through the reserve to “replicate” the malfunction experienced by Mrs Cilliers. |
| He said: “It would be indisputable, I believe, that with that type of equipment and that type of malfunction you would need to carry out your reserve drills.” | He said: “It would be indisputable, I believe, that with that type of equipment and that type of malfunction you would need to carry out your reserve drills.” |
| Bayada said that he put the slinks he removed by hand from the reserves in his pocket and said the tampering carried out would not be noticed in a pre-jump flight line visual check. | Bayada said that he put the slinks he removed by hand from the reserves in his pocket and said the tampering carried out would not be noticed in a pre-jump flight line visual check. |
| Cilliers, of Aldershot, Hampshire denies two charges of attempted murder and a single charge of damaging a gas valve at the family home a few days earlier. | Cilliers, of Aldershot, Hampshire denies two charges of attempted murder and a single charge of damaging a gas valve at the family home a few days earlier. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
| UK news | UK news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |