Melbourne: A 30-year-old former sex worker has been jailed in Australia for life for murdering her India-born fiance.
The Brisbane Supreme Court jury last week found that Melissa Leigh Shaw was guilty of killing Shyam 'Sam' Dhody at his Gilston based residence in Gold Coast.
Justice Peter Flanagan said Shaw had been involved in a cowardly act. Shaw will be eligible for parole in 20 years.
The prosecution case had alleged that Shaw procured her on-off lover Adam Gooley to kill Mr Dhody, media reports said adding the crown prosecutor Dennis Kinsella likened her to Helen of Troy, calling Shaw the face that launched the murder.
The court was also informed that Shaw's relationship with Mr Dhody, whom she met while working at a Molendinar brothel, was violent and had started to sour in March 2013.
Mr Dhody was shot 10 times in his head while he was lying in his bed at his home in July 2013.
Shaw denied any knowledge of the murder plot. Shaw, the mother of two, was also convicted of assaulting Mr Dhody for an earlier attack.
Gooley, a mechanic, had pleaded guilty to the shooting and was also sentenced to life in prison.
"Clearly she's disappointed with the result, as anyone would be in her circumstances, and it's come as a big, big shock to her," said Shaw's lawyer Jason Jacobson.
The Brisbane Supreme Court jury last week found that Melissa Leigh Shaw was guilty of killing Shyam 'Sam' Dhody at his Gilston based residence in Gold Coast.
Justice Peter Flanagan said Shaw had been involved in a cowardly act. Shaw will be eligible for parole in 20 years.
The court was also informed that Shaw's relationship with Mr Dhody, whom she met while working at a Molendinar brothel, was violent and had started to sour in March 2013.
Advertisement
Shaw denied any knowledge of the murder plot. Shaw, the mother of two, was also convicted of assaulting Mr Dhody for an earlier attack.
Advertisement
"Clearly she's disappointed with the result, as anyone would be in her circumstances, and it's come as a big, big shock to her," said Shaw's lawyer Jason Jacobson.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
New York teacher says she was a sex worker How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan Monkeypox Cases Rising: How Worried Should You Be - 10 Points "Probably First Time Since '87/88...": Omar Abdullah On J&K Poll Dates Hamas Rejects "New Conditions" In Proposed Gaza Deal: Report How Jail Slippers Helped Reunite Mentally-Challenged Man With Family Farooq Abdullah To Lead National Conference In J&K Assembly Polls Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.