Retrial for parachute attempted murder accused

An Army sergeant will face a retrial on charges of attempting to murder his East Lothian born wife by tampering with her parachute - after the first jury failed to reach verdicts.

Emile Cilliers, 37, of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps, denied during a seven-week trial at Winchester Crown Court two charges of attempted murder and a third count of damaging a gas fitting.

His wife Victoria - from Haddington - suffered near-fatal injuries when she took part in a jump at the Army Parachute Association at Netheravon, Wiltshire, on Easter Sunday in April 2015.

The highly experienced parachuting instructor's main and reserve parachutes had failed to open