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| Chip shop death: Geoffrey Bran cleared of murdering wife | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A chip shop owner accused of killing his wife by throwing boiling oil over her has been cleared of her murder. | A chip shop owner accused of killing his wife by throwing boiling oil over her has been cleared of her murder. |
| Geoffrey Bran, 71, who ran The Chipoteria in Hermon, Carmarthenshire, had told police his wife Mavis slipped and pulled a deep fat fryer over herself. | Geoffrey Bran, 71, who ran The Chipoteria in Hermon, Carmarthenshire, had told police his wife Mavis slipped and pulled a deep fat fryer over herself. |
| Mr Bran was also found not guilty of manslaughter. | Mr Bran was also found not guilty of manslaughter. |
| Mrs Bran, 69, died in hospital six days after receiving burns to 46% of her body on 23 October 2018. | Mrs Bran, 69, died in hospital six days after receiving burns to 46% of her body on 23 October 2018. |
| She had told friends in the weeks before her death that she feared her husband would kill her, a jury heard. | She had told friends in the weeks before her death that she feared her husband would kill her, a jury heard. |
| The trial at Swansea Crown Court was told the couple, who had been married for over 30 years, had had a volatile relationship with arguments and swearing, and that it had deteriorated over the last few months of Mrs Bran's life. | The trial at Swansea Crown Court was told the couple, who had been married for over 30 years, had had a volatile relationship with arguments and swearing, and that it had deteriorated over the last few months of Mrs Bran's life. |
| The prosecution had argued Mr Bran had thrown the oil at his wife after an argument over some burnt fish, but he told the jury she had accidentally pulled it over herself after she slipped and fell. | The prosecution had argued Mr Bran had thrown the oil at his wife after an argument over some burnt fish, but he told the jury she had accidentally pulled it over herself after she slipped and fell. |
| The week-long trial heard Mrs Bran was a heavy drinker and was over the legal drink-drive limit for alcohol on the day of the incident. | The week-long trial heard Mrs Bran was a heavy drinker and was over the legal drink-drive limit for alcohol on the day of the incident. |
| After Mrs Bran was injured, the court was told she went into their house, which is next to the chip shop cabin, but that Mr Bran did not assist her or call an ambulance and continued to serve customers. | |
| Mrs Bran called a friend, Caroline Morgan, telling her: "Geoff has thrown boiling oil over me, help me, help me, get here now. I am burnt to hell." | |
| It was Mrs Morgan who called for an ambulance when she arrived 40 minutes later to find Mrs Bran "rocking back and forth like a little old lady". | |
| Mr Bran said in evidence Mrs Bran had accidentally slipped and had pulled a fat fryer over herself, saying: "One of the legs [of the fryer] got to the edge [of the table] and the weight of the oil must have moved things fast and it was like a waterfall and it landed on her chest." | |
| Mr Bran was cleared by a jury following five hours of deliberations. |