Convicted killer gets ‘forever’ jail time

Stock photo

High Court judge, Justice Carlisle Greaves has handed down another life sentence in Barbados. 

On Friday, he sentenced Shawn Leo Phillips, a serial offender, who showed no remorse, for the murder of 27-year-old Melissa Davis nearly 15 years ago. 

“To remove all doubt, that means that you must serve the rest of your natural life in prison and not be released until you die,” Justice Greaves said as he sentenced the 50-year-old convict for the murder that took place between November 28 and December 5, 2008.

Justice Greaves described him as “an evil, dangerous stalker, rapist and murderer”.

“You are an extremely dangerous person from whom this public must be protected forever,” the judge stressed.

The court heard that nearly four years after he was released from jail after serving a 12-year sentence for rape, Phillips abducted, raped, strangled and killed Davis, a mother of a then seven-year-old girl.

In her victim impact statement, Davis’ now 21-year-old daughter, said she hoped Phillips would be as miserable as she was grappling with the death of her mother, and suggested that he should not be allowed to hurt or ruin another life.

Davis had taken a bus destined for home on the night of November 8, 2008, and was subsequently reported missing.

“Unknowing to her, danger like she had never seen before and will never see again lurked. In that bus was a dangerous predator, Shawn Leo Phillips, a man with 18 previous convictions including several assaults on women, at least seven of which he had been convicted,” Justice Greaves said.

As he summed up the case, the judge said the killer had a plan as he knew where Davis lived and where she was heading, according to the statement he gave police, as he had grown up in the area.

But as he addressed the court on Friday, Phillips, who was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict in February, vehemently maintained his innocence.

“With all due respect, Sir, . . . I have no knowledge of this crime. As the case was going on, you will see, Sir, that there is no kind of DNA evidence, no forensic evidence linking me to this matter because I have no knowledge of this crime, Sir.

“I am an innocent man of this crime standing before you, wrongfully placed in prison, and God is not sleeping because I have nothing to hide. I do not know this young lady as I have never met this young lady. I have no contact at all, whatsoever, and there is no evidence produced in this court saying such. It is putting an innocent man in prison wrongfully, Sir.”

But Justice Greaves told Phillips that even in the absence of forensic evidence, “this was a strong case”.

“You convinced yourself that you are so right to do these things to innocent people that you are the one who is innocent. That makes you an extremely dangerous person from whom this public must be protected forever.

“Your attitude, the facts of this case, and your record clearly demonstrate that, given any opportunity, you are going to do it again. Your own mother has forsaken you. In the pre-sentencing report, the probation officer could find not a single person who would stand up for you – not your brothers, not even your mother . . . . She understands your evil so she says you ‘made up your bed . . . . If you kill, you should be killed’.”

The pre-sentencing report also assessed Phillips as being at high risk for further offending and stated that he continued to be a significant risk to society. A report from a psychiatrist also said his risk of violent reoffending was significant.

Justice Greaves noted that Phillips had shown no remorse.

“You have not in any way accepted that you have done wrong in this case. That shows a strong propensity to commit further offences of this kind if you are released. I found no mitigating factors of any degree that should cause [me] to impose a sentence of less than life,” he said.

“I have come to the convincing conclusion that you constitute a real danger, a dangerous danger to both men and women of this society and in particular to women. I have come to the view that you would do it again if given any opportunity to do so and that the society must be protected from you forever.”

Phillips said he would be appeal. (CMC/SNR) 

About The Author