THE owner of a small fish and chip shop in Hermon burned his wife to death by pouring boiling cooking oil over her, a jury heard today.

Geoffrey Bran, aged 71, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mavis Bran, who died from her injuries on October 29, 2018, five days after an incident at the Chipoteria in Carmarthenshire.

Paul Lewis, prosecuting, told a jury at Swansea crown court that Bran had either deliberately pushed or thrown over her a deep fat fryer containing boiling oil.

“The terrible burns suffered by Mrs Bran were not the result of an accident,” he added.

He said the couple had been married for 30 years and owned a number of small commercial properties and businesses, including Cardigan and the surrounding area. They opened their latest venture, the Chipoteria, in January, 2018.

“It would appear the financial pressures of their various businesses would at times put a strain on their relationship and they would sometimes argue about money.

“They are described by people who knew them as a couple who both had short tempers who always argued, swearing and shouting at each other.”

In the months before the death a friend, Caroline Morgan, thought the relationship was deteriorating. Mavis Bran told her that her husband was “getting nasty” and she said she was scared of him.

The couple opened the chip shop in a cabin on land next to their home.

At 12.43pm a customer, Guto Jones, telephoned the Chipoteria and placed an order with Mrs Bran, who appeared to be in a happy mood.

A short while later Gareth Davies, who was staying with the Brans, heard Mrs Bran come into the house and call for him.

“She was naked above the waist and her upper body was crimson,” said Mr Lewis. “She was obviously in pain, shouting and screaming ‘I’ve been burnt, I’ve had hot boiling fat all over me.

“It was clear to Mr Davies that even at that stage her skin was coming off her wrists.”

Despite her injuries Mrs Bran told Mr Davies he needed to help out and to cook some fish for customers, which he did.

When he entered the cabin he saw “lots of fat on the floor by the cooking area.”

Meanwhile, Mr Jones arrived to collect his order and spoke to Bran, who told him there had been “a bit of an accident.”

When he asked Bran how badly injured she was he replied, “She’s fine. She’s cooking the fish now in the house.”

He said he would check whether the fish was ready and returned to say, “She’s in a bit of shock.”

When asked how the fryer had fallen on her, Bran said: “I don’t know how it happened. It must have slid on the table. She must have caught it on something.”

Gareth Davies also asked Bran what had happened. He said she had been cooking in the cabin and had slipped and grabbed the fryer, causing the fat to come out of the holder and onto her.

Mr Lewis said while this was going on Mrs Bran telephoned her friend Caroline Morgan and said to her: “Geoff has thrown boiling oil over me. Please help me, emergency, emergency.”

On arriving she told Mr Davies to call for an ambulance. While waiting for it to arrive Bran allegedly asked her to cook fish for customers who had just arrived.

“Unlike the defendant Mrs Morgan was concerned for Mrs Bran and not about the customers. She told him to shut the place down,” said the prosecutor.

The trial continues and is expected to last two weeks.