Sheffield thug shot accountant in leg in row over unpaid £2,500 plastering work payment

Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 8 how Carl Phillips, aged 28, of Wesley Avenue, Aston, Sheffield, shot his victim in the left leg and shot the front of the victim’s car after a meeting had been arranged to hand over an alleged £2,500 debt owed for plastering work.

Ian West, prosecuting, said Benjamin Jones – an associate of Phillips’s – had initially been involved in a previous incident when he and four others confronted and threatened a man in the building trade to demand the outstanding payment.

Mr West added this complainant agreed to pay the cash and together with a driver and three employees they were lured to a meeting place in Sheffield by another car before Phillips got out and shot the complainant’s accountant in his left shin and shot the front of his vehicle.

Judge David Dixon told Phillips: “This is wicked, disgraceful violence. The sort of violence courts will not tolerate. The courts will send out abundantly clear messages that violence involving firearms will not be tolerated.”

The injured man suffered both entry and exit wounds from lead fragments and a fractured fibula, according to Mr West.

Mr West said: “Without any discussion, Mr Phillips raised the gun and shot at the left shin leg area.”

He added the pain had been immediate and “blood was spurting everywhere” and the victim thought he was going to be killed.

Phillips, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and to possessing a firearm to commit an offence after the shooting on July 31, 2020.

Jones, aged 33, of Skelton Lane, Woodhouse, Sheffield, who has previous convictions and was only involved in the first incident, pleaded guilty to affray.

Dermot Hughes, defending, claimed Phillips had got mixed-up in the situation and he is not a “born-and-bred” criminal but is someone who has led a largely law-abiding life.

Mr Hughes said: “He’s got wound-up in some way beyond him and he knows he must be punished. He’s not a wicked man.”

Richard Barradell, defending, said Jones had only been involved in the first incident where there had been no “real violence” and he has been subject to a curfew prior to his sentencing.

But Judge Dixon said Jones had originally gone with four others to frighten someone into paying money.

He told Jones: “Whatever was going on comes from you. What followed came from what happened earlier that day involving you and that really concerns me.”

Judge Dixon also told Phillips: “Your clear intention throughout was to cause injury and pain and to show you weren’t to be messed with.”

Phillips was sentenced to 12 years and nine months of custody and Jones was sentenced to nine months of custody suspended for 18 months with 180 hours of unpaid work and a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

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