Woman jailed for harbouring escaped prisoners

by Katherine Renton

Shadene Farrell, a mother of two, in admitting that she harboured two very dangerous prisoners, also noted that her relationship with one started while he was in prison, involved frequent calls and even phone sex.

Prisoners are not allowed to have cell phones, but, according to the statement that 29-year-old Farrell gave to the police last week, she met accused murderer Veron Primus through her best friend’s boyfriend, and their relationship was mostly by way of video calls.

FACEBOOK POST made by Shadene Farrell

The statement that the young woman offered was a five page tell-all revealing shocking details on many accounts, including about the events following the prison break that occurred at Her Majesty’s Prison on December 9, in which Primus escaped for a second time, and accused murderer Ulrick ‘Chucky’ Hanson, a first.

Last week, the police were forced to launch a massive manhunt following the discovery that the prisoners were missing, before finally discovering them at Farrell’s Lowmans Leeward home on the morning of December 10.

In the recovery of the prisoners, Hanson was shot in his leg and taken to the hospital, while Primus was taken to the police station.

Farrell, who not at home when the police arrived on Thursday morning, but turned up on the scene afterwards was handed over to a female Corporal for investigations.

In addition to her statement, Farrell led the police to an abandoned concrete building in Lowmans Leeward and showed them a Digicel bag containing a phone and SIM card that she bought for Primus.

Following this, at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Friday, December 11, she pleaded guilty to, knowing and believing prisoners to be guilty of escaping lawful custody, did without lawful authority, or reasonable excuse, an act to impede their apprehension or prosecution.

The young woman, who spoke politely to everyone, revealed that she is a mother of two children who will be six and nine years old this month.

When asked why she committed the offence, she said that the prisoners turned up at her home at 5 am on Wednesday, and although she asked them if they had anywhere else to go, they told her that the sun was coming up soon.

She claimed to be frightened and that she only left on Thursday morning to purchase the phone. The defendant mentioned that her phone was not working, so she could not call the police

She admitted to having video calls with Primus in prison after being asked why the two escapees turned up at her doorstep.

In her defence, Farrell stated that she tried to speak to a neighbour she doesn’t usually speak to and send signals for others persons about the prisoners.

In the end, the court made the decision to hear the statement the defendant offered to the police.

The young woman said that she knew Primus was a prisoner, and that she first started speaking to him on her best friend’s phone, until he asked for her number.

At one point, they started to call one another on Whatsapp, she had told the police, “early morning at seven, two o’clock in the evening and in the night.”

She mentioned that they would engage in phone sex and he would ask her about her day etc.

Farrell noted that when Primus was at the Belle Isle Correctional Facility, he would be on the phone regularly.

Once Primus “put the phone of ‘Tattoo Man’ doing a tattoo on someone’s back,” she said. She described “Tattoo Man” as “light skin, has a Scorpio sign on the right side of his face with rasta hair.”

During their phone relationship, the defendant told police that there was an occasion where Primus called her and she did not speak to him because a friend was by her.

“Veron got upset and I had to turn off my phone; I turn on the phone the next day and he call me and was cursing me,” she noted.

However, they soon made up and the friendship resumed.

It was also revealed that once, when Primus’ phone was taken away from him, Farrell went to Digicel to replace the SIM for him.

The week before the escape, she said that Primus was making jokes, saying that he was outside of her window.

She also mentioned that “twice in the week Veron woke me up out my sleep on video call and he ask me who dey on my bed”, and she turned her phone to her bed so he could see that it was her pillow.

“I stewps and turn off my phone because he keep calling me,” she said.

“Yesterday (Wednesday) morning some time about five am, I was home making Jello shots when I heard a knocking on my door. I opened the door and I see it was Veron,” and “Tattoo Man”, Farrell recalled.

They weren’t dressed in a prisoner’s uniform, but in all black. She told the police that she told them they couldn’t stay in her house, but Primus said the prison would discover that they were missing in about 30 minutes time.

When she asked if they had another place to stay, they said they did, but that the sun was coming up.

She proceeded to return to her Jello shots, but was told by Primus that it wasn’t the time for that.

“I take up the garbage to go throw wey. Veron tek wey the bin and ask me if today is garbage day. I say no,” she said, and therefore he told her she doesn’t have to take it out.

After some small talk, she put on water to make tea, and said she was trembling.

“So Veron telling me, he ain going do me nothing and I must calm down my nerve,” Farrell continued.

Again she mentioned to them that they had to leave, but Primus told her it was daylight and if they left, he would be killed.

“I say well they will kill me,” she said, “After that Veron go in my phone, I don’t know who he was talking to, he was on the phone.

When they arrived at her home, they brought KFC and bread with them, and Primus had an envelope with money, Farrell said.

“I ask Veron how he get to my house, and he said a vehicle drop him and they walk the rest,” she said.

On the subject of the escape, she was apparently told they climbed over the wall by Vinlec.

Later on, Primus sought her out for sexual intercourse, Farrell indicated, “I tell him I ain in the mood, cause I was frightened, but I still give him the sex. He did not force me, or anything.”

She added, “We never use no condom because he say he not using it no more.”

He later found condoms in the room, causing Primus to accuse her of having other men, slap her and walk out.

After sleeping, she woke up to find Primus next to her.

Farrell also told the police that the escapees had many knives, but never threatened her with them.

The only times she said she was able to leave were, firstly, to speak to her best friend, and on Thursday morning she also went into town to buy a phone Digicel phone in Tokyo at the request of Primus.

Because of this, Prosecutor Sergeant Renwick Cato questioned why she didn’t go to the police when she went to town, since she said that she was afraid and that’s why she didn’t alert the police.

The defendant replied that she was afraid Primus and Hanson would find out she went there, and that she would have to return to her home.

The court did not believe that the defendant did not know that everything she was doing was wrong.

“Miss Farrell you are not as innocent as you want to appear before me. You’re not that innocent at all,” the magistrate observed toward the end of the barrage of information.

“There must be a reason why they went to her or by her,” he also commented.

The prosecution asked that a strong message be sent that those kind of offences are not acceptable.

“The mind that you have madam, that’s a mind that the court has to do something,” about, Burnett said, “there’s no if or but, you are going to prison. I’m just contemplating how long.”

The maximum sentence prescribed for the offence is two years, but guidelines dictate that guilty pleas and new offenders should receive subtractions from their sentences because of this.

After a short break, Burnett returned with the sentence. Although Farrell was entitled to a one-third discount for her guilty plea, and this is her first offence, the magistrate said that the aggravating features far outweigh the mitigating.

He sentenced her to one year in prison.

This is the second time that Primus, considered a very dangerous prisoner, has escaped prison, the first time being Tuesday October 1, 2019. He was sentenced to 16 months incarceration for this.

However, he is on remand in prison awaiting trial for the murder of real estate agent Sharleen Greaves, and was indicted in 2016 for the 2006 murder of Brooklyn teen Chanel Petro-Nixon.

While he was previously on numerous charges for allegedly abducting and sexually assaulting Vermont resident Mewanah Hadaway in April 15, 2016 the prosecution withdrew this in the face of no evidence from the victim.

Hanson is also considered very dangerous, charged with others for the murder of 50-year-old security guard and Victoria Village resident Rodney George, and the burglary of the building that he was guarding at the time, GEC Auto Supplies Ltd.

Further he must face other robbery, wounding and burglary charges.