By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused in the fatal shooting of a young mother while she and her three-day-old child were inside a car on Finlayson Street last January was once again denied bail.

Davan Brennen, 32, was denied bail on charges of murder and abetment to murder before Justice Neil Braithwaite.

Prosecutors allege that the defendants shot and killed 23-year-old Philierica Sands as she slept inside her pink Honda Fit on January 26, 2025. The victim’s infant child was also in the car at the time of the shooting.

In his bail application, Brennen submitted that he had no prior convictions. He claimed that without bail he would be disadvantaged in preparing his defence and wished to be able to provide for his family, including his young child. He also indicated that he worked as an Aliv technician prior to his incarceration.

While Brennen acknowledged that he had previously been denied bail, he claimed his voluntary bill of indictment did not contain evidence to support the charges.

Betty Wilson, on behalf of the prosecution, objected to the defendant’s bail.

Ms Wilson submitted that on the day of the murder, reputed gang leader Mario Brown was killed in the Kemp Road area. She said the defendant lives in the same area as Brown and that CCTV footage showed an Aliv van as part of a convoy in the Finlayson Street area when shots were fired.

The prosecution claimed that when interviewed by police, the defendant admitted to knowing Brown and to driving the van in the areas in question.

However, Brennen denied being part of a convoy or participating in a plan to avenge Brown’s death.

He claimed he was only giving a friend a ride at the time of the incident and that the friend used his phone to contact Mario Stuart.

The prosecution said Stuart has since been charged with murder and admitted to being a lookout during the incident.

While the defendant claimed he did not know other vehicles were following him, it was said that his passenger told him he knew the other vehicles and that they were following.

The defence argued that Brennen is of good character and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. They claimed that while Brennen’s van was seen during the incident, the defendant himself was not.

The defence further submitted that service of the voluntary bill of indictment constituted a change of circumstances since the prior bail refusal, arguing that the evidence against Brennen was weak.

However, the prosecution maintained that the evidence against the defendant was cogent and alleged that he participated in a retaliatory killing.

In reviewing the case, Justice Braithwaite noted that an innocent mother was slain as a bystander in what appeared to be retaliatory gang violence.

Justice Braithwaite rejected the submission that service of the voluntary bill of indictment amounted to a change of circumstances, noting that a trial date has already been set.

After referencing recent retaliatory shootings, Justice Braithwaite refused bail, citing concerns for the defendant’s safety and public safety.

Murrio Ducille KC and Brian Bastian represented the accused.