Latia Henderson, Kayley Ketley: Nisha Phillips kidnappers sentenced

Two young women have learnt their fate after they kidnapped their friend, stabbed her and threw her into the boot of her own car with a plan to dump her body at Belanglo State Forest.

While 24-year-old Nisha Phillips lay bleeding in the boot of her own Holden Commodore on the Hume Highway at Berrima, then pregnant teen Latia Henderson and Kayley Lee Ketley were smoking cannabis and filming Snapchat videos singing to music.

The case rocked the small town on Sydney’s outskirts, with Henderson, then 18, and Ketley, then 24, torturing the victim for more than 12 hours before a dramatic police intervention.

Earlier this year both women pleaded guilty and NCA NewsWire revealed details which led to the moment Ms Phillips was rescued.

The pair faced Campbelltown District Court on Wednesday, Ketley in the dock and Henderson via AVL, dressed in their prison greens as Judge Jennifer English sentenced the women for the offending.

Judge English sentenced Henderson to an aggregate sentence of seven years and six months with a non parole period of five years. She will be eligible for parole on May 16, 2027.

Ketley was sentenced to an aggregate sentence for 11 years with a non parole period of six years and seven months. She will be eligible for parole on September 2, 2027.

The judge told the court that Ketley was being sentenced for a “very violent crime” but, after watching her in court, said she wasn’t convinced that Ketley was in any way remorseful.

“The victim was stabbed, she was bleeding and in pain … threats were made to stab her again,” the judge said.

“She was driven to various locations and was threatened and stabbed again … the destination was Belanglo State Forest … a place which has a sinister connotation.”

Judge English described the violence as “continuous” while she said the intimidation was “considerable”.

“It almost beggars belief two women would treat another woman this way,” she said.

“The violence is extreme…it’s contrary to the manner that persons in a civilised society are expected to behave.”

Judge English said she did not accept Henderson’s evidence that she was only “going along with the offending because she was trying to show Ketley she was tough”.

She said the “violent” behaviour was not a result of “duress or confusion”.

“The videos do not show someone who was taken under duress or confusion. She had ample opportunity to walk away … she chose to accompany the co-offender, she chose to stab the victim when she was handed the knife.”

The judge told the court ahead of sentencing that a fight occurred outside the court on the last occasion, leading to a restriction on the number of supporters allowed inside the court.

She said there had also been an issue between Ketley and Henderson after the 20-year-old was taken into custody last week.

“Whatever concerned downstairs which I am not privy to…Henderson will be appearing via AVL,” Judge English said.

The court was previously shown videos of the pair singing along to music as Ms Phillips used a makeshift tourniquet to stop herself from bleeding out in the back of the car.

The pair faced the same court less than a week ago when Henderson walked through the front door for the last time before her bail was revoked and she was sent to prison.

Henderson, who gave birth to her son in August last year, pleaded guilty to a charge of take and drive conveyance and take/detain in company with the intent to commit serious indictable offence occasioning actual bodily harm.

The 20-year-old also pleaded guilty to a related charge of driving without a licence.

Ketley, 26, pleaded guilty to two charges of take and drive conveyance without consent of the owner, kidnap in company with serious indictable occasion, reckless wounding, cause grievous bodily harm to person with intent and a backup charge of possessing a prohibited drug and had six charges withdrawn.

Videos show Henderson driving the car south towards the Belanglo State Forest while the pair sing along to Chris Brown and Post Malone songs.

In another snippet, Henderson blows smoke to the camera.

“But look at the f**king traffic bro for 28kms down the highway … f**king bullsh*t and I’ve got this dumb sh*t up my ass and she’s a f**king dead set mutt,” Henderson said in the video.

THE FACTS

Henderson and Ketley were being driven around by Ms Phillips on February 2 before planning to get high.

About 3.24am, Ms Phillips felt “tension” and asked Ketley, “Do we have a problem?” causing Ketley to become enraged.

The trio arrived at a Glenfield house at 3.47am where Ketley pulled out a knife and stabbed Ms Phillips in the left knee and upper thigh.

“All you had to do was stop, all you had to do was stop,” Ketley said, according to court documents.

THE THREATS

Ketley continued her threats: “I am going to make you squeal like a pig. I just need to let it all out. Last time this happened I got 4½ years and this time it’s not going to happen like that.

“Today I am going to kill you.”

Ms Phillips stayed silent while Ketley took her car keys and phone before leaving with Henderson.

When she returned, Ketley said it was a “shame” the victim was still alive.

“I guess we are going to have to, like, drag this on now, hey, like I was hoping you would have just, you know, given up,” Ketley said, according to court documents.

Ketley retrieved another 30cm kitchen knife and forced Ms Phillips out of the house and into the boot of her own Holden Commodore.

“Don’t make a scene or I will kill you right here,” Ketley threatened, holding the knife against Ms Phillips’ back.

FORCED INTO THE BOOT

Ms Phillips begged not to be hurt. Ketley gritted her teeth and said “shut the f**k up and get in the f**king boot”, court documents state.

“This is what happens to people that want to find out why you don’t f**k with me,” Ketley said.

Ms Phillips lay terrified in the boot with a shoelace as a makeshift tourniquet.

At one point, the car stopped. Henderson took the knife and stabbed Ms Phillips before driving away, according to court documents.

BELANGLO STATE FOREST

Henderson drove south on the Hume Highway, with her phone showing directions to Belanglo State Forest.

Despite passing out a few times, Ms Phillips removed the left tail light and put her hand out of the hole, waving at cars to indicate she was trapped.

About 11.30am, motorists on the Hume Highway noticed and called police.

A police officer driving an unmarked car saw the hand and stopped the pair near Berrima, about 6km from the Belanglo turn-off.

When questioned about who was in the boot, Henderson pretended she didn’t know.

Special Constable Brendan Quinn walked to the back of the car, leant towards the tail light and said “what’s your name love?” before found the victim.

Ms Phillips told police through tears she was taken hostage.

INTERVIEWS

Ms Phillips told police a disagreement in the car led to the attack.

“She (Ketley) started verbally attacking me … threatening me … big talk,” Ms Phillips said.

Ms Phillips confessed to smoking ice after she was stabbed because it helped with the pain, according to court documents.

Ketley denied stabbing Ms Phillips and said she had no idea she was in the car but was told by another woman to pick up the Commodore at an Ambarvale carpark and drive it back to a hire location in Colo Vale.

Henderson made partial admissions to the offences, saying she knew Ms Phillips was in the car but did not know when she was stabbed.

She told police she wiped blood off the back of the car with a tea towel, saying it was an “iffy” situation.

Henderson confessed she was 12 weeks pregnant but took Xanax and ice, according to police documents.