An army sergeant has appeared in court accused of the attempted murder of his wife after her main parachute failed to open during a 4,000ft jump.
Emile Cilliers, 36, appeared at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court to face the charge in relation to the incident at Netheravon Airfield, on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, in which Victoria Cilliers, 40, suffered “multiple serious injuries” on 5 April 2015.
The defendant also faces a charge of damaging a gas fitting at the home of his wife in Amesbury, Wiltshire, while recklessly endangering life, as a second charge of the attempted murder of his partner.
The charges relate to incidents between 28 March and 31 March 2015.
Christopher Hill, representing Cilliers, indicated that his client would plead not guilty to all three charges.
During his court appearance Cilliers spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and his address as being at a military barracks in Aldershot, Hampshire.
Simon Browning, the chairman of the magistrates’ panel, sent the case for trial at Winchester Crown Court with a plea hearing to be held on November 18.
He released Cilliers on bail until then with conditions to have no contact with his wife, not to enter Wiltshire apart for legal appointments and to surrender his passport.