The owner of a small chip shop near Hermon has been cleared this morning of murdering his wife by pouring boiling cooking oil over her.

Geoffrey Bran, aged 71, was also cleared of a lesser charge of manslaughter and discharged.

Bran, who lived with his wife Mavis in a house next to the Chipoteria, showed no emotion as a jury at Swansea crown court returned the verdicts.

After the lady foreman announced a unanimous verdict of not guilty of murder Judge Paul Thomas asked her if that was also to manslaughter.

She replied, “Yes” and Judge Thomas immediately told Bran he could leave the dock a free man.

Bran again showed no reaction The prosecution had alleged that Bran had “flipped” after being nagged by his wife of more than 30 years.

Bran told the jury they had been cooking fish and chips in a cabin in the grounds of their house when she slipped and fell, grabbing the fryer unit as she went to the floor.

He said she pulled the entire unit on top of her and the oil spilled over her, causing fatal burns.

Mrs Bran died on October 29, 2018, six days later.