Chip shop owner ‘killed wife with scalding oil’

A fish and chip shop owner killed his wife by “pushing or throwing over her a deep fat fryer which contained scalding oil”, a court has heard.

Geoffrey Bran, 70, denies murdering of Mavis Bran, 69, in Hermon, Carmarthenshire in October 2018.

Mrs Bran died in Swansea’s Morriston Hospital, six days after suffering burns at The Chipoteria.

Swansea Crown Court heard financial pressures put a strain on their marriage and the couple would argue.

The couple, who had been married for 30 years, opened the chip shop in a wooden cabin in January 2018 – one of a number of small businesses they owned.

Prosecutor Paul Lewis QC said: “It appears that 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, and who have ‘always argued, swearing and shouting at each other’.

“It is the prosecution case that the terrible burns that Mrs Bran suffered were not the result of an accident, but were caused by her husband deliberately pushing or throwing over her a deep fat fryer which contained scalding oil.” 

In the months leading up to her death, Mrs Bran’s friend Caroline Morgan noticed the couple’s relationship was seemingly deteriorating, the court heard, with Mr Bran appealing withdrawn and his wife expressing concerns about his health.

During this time, Mrs Bran would telephone Ms Morgan in tears, saying “he’s getting nasty”, the jury was told.

Mr Bran was originally arrested on suspicion of assault but was re-arrested on suspicion of murder on 22 November.