The wife of an Army sergeant who survived after her husband allegedly tampered with her parachute is one of the top skydivers in the country, a court heard.

Emile Cilliers is accused of trying to murder his former Army officer wife Victoria, who somehow managed to survive the fall, on 15 April 2015.

Cilliers, 37, is further charged with damaging a gas valve a few days earlier in another attempt to kill her.

Prosecutors claim the Army sergeant wanted his wife dead so he could run off with his lover who he had met on dating app Tinder.

He was also sleeping with his ex-wife at the time, jurors were told.

Top skydiving instructor Mark Bayada told the court Ms Cilliers was a qualified instructor who had completed more than 2,600 jumps without incident.

"She is in the top one per cent of competency in the country," he said.

On the day of her fall, her parachute was found to have two vital slinks missing.

The 40-year-old had been due to jump the day before but was unable to because of bad weather.

But the court heard her husband arranged to keep her hire parachute in her locker overnight.

Mr Bayada said he could think of no reason to do this, adding: "Everyone is expected to return it to the kit store. There is no financial benefit to keeping it out."

Michael Bowes QC, prosecuting, has suggested Cilliers did not want to return the kit to the store because he had already tampered with it.

Cilliers denies all charges against him. The trial continues on Friday.