Kenichi Phillips murder: Dudley woman locked up for six years for sheltering teenager's killer
A Black Country woman who sheltered a man who killed Birmingham teenager Kenichi Phillips has been jailed for six years.
Shaleana Samuels, 25, from Dudley, hid Isaiah Wright-Young at her flat in Dixon Green Road for nine days in October last year. He wore a burka on his arrival to disguise his identity from CCTV cameras.
She had previously denied the offence and three unrelated counts of possession with intent to supply drugs but later admitted she had told police a pack of lies and yesterday pleaded guilty to all four offences.
Wright-Young, 36, was jailed for life in April for the fatal shooting of Mr Phillips as he sat in a parked car in the Ladywood area of Birmingham in March last year. The killer went into hiding but was discovered at Samuels’ flat by police seven months later.
At the time the trial was taking place of his co-accused Disharn Downie, aged 18, who was jailed for 21 years. Police also found crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis at the flat, some in Samuels’ bedroom and some hidden behind a panel in her kitchen, with a total street value of £8,230. Mobile phones showing evidence of drug dealing and £2,805 cash were also discovered.
Samuels,of Elmbridge Way, Dudley, who was studying for a healthcare apprenticeship in Wolverhampton, initially told police she had no idea that Wright-Young was involved in anything criminal and allowed him to stay after he told her he’d had a row with his girlfriend. She later claimed she knew he was involved in criminality but was not aware he was wanted for murder.
Changing her story yet again, Samuels said she was pressurised by her ex-boyfriend who was in prison to provide a refuge for Wright-Young.
Judge Patrick Thomas, QC, said he did not believe she did not know Isaiah-Young was wanted for murder but accepted she was influenced by her former boyfriend with whom she was still infatuated.
He told her: “Isaiah Wright-Young committed a cold-blooded and brutal murder having recruited his partner’s 17-year-old son to carry out those offences and he did so because of a drugs turf war. The case rightly received an enormous amount of publicity both in Birmingham and Wolverhampton.
“You took care of him whilst the trial of his co-accused was being heard. This was an extremely serious offence. At the same time you were dealing in drugs. It is said you were being influenced by someone who was in prison. There is no trace of evidence that you were unwilling to do it. The man who is responsible is going to suffer absolutely nothing as a consequence. He used you and you will pay the price.”
Speaking today after Samuels was jailed sergeant Rob Bastin from West Midlands Police's homicide unit said: "Samuels tried to help Wright-Young avoid justice by allowing him to stay at her flat.
“While Wright-Young was at large we were unable to bring him to justice which only caused further distress to the family of Kenichi who was aged just 18 at the time he died.
“We were also able to recover a large quantity of drugs and Samuel now faces a significant period behind bars for her crimes."
