Three men found guilty of Sydney dad Jamie Phillips’ murder

Three men have been found guilty of murdering a Sydney dad whose naked body was found dumped in a vacant lot after a dispute over the drug ice.

Three men have been found guilty of murdering a Sydney dad whose naked body was found dumped in a vacant lot after a dispute over the drug ice.

Barry Cavanagh, 35, Nathan McIvor, 38, and Sean O’Keefe had all pleaded not guilty in the NSW Supreme Court to murdering Campbelltown father Jamie Phillips, 46, in 2018.

A jury had deliberated for about 10 hours since retiring last week when they returned on Tuesday and found the trio guilty of murder instead of the lesser charge of manslaughter

Campbelltown father Jamie Phillips.

The trial was told an argument had erupted between Mr Phillips and the three men over ice before the father of two was fatally stabbed through the heart in an Ambarvale home.

His naked body was later found in a vacant block in Glen Alpine by a father and son who were test driving a 4WD.

O’Keefe gave evidence during the trial and claimed he was acting in self-defence during the incident and said the other two men had nothing to do with it.

However, Crown prosecutor Christopher Taylor argued it was Cavanagh who was the stabber and that he, O’Keefe and McIvor were in a joint criminal enterprise to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Phillips which resulted in his death.

Police arrest a man over murder of Jamie Phillips. Picture: NSW Police

A man is arrested by Strike Force Hardey. Picture: NSW Police

Mr Phillips’ brother Allen also took to the witness box, where he was questioned by Cavanagh’s defence barrister.

The barrister put it to Allen Phillips that he had defecated on his girlfriend, Hayley Costello, in their home before having a fight with his brother over the incident shortly before Jamie’s death.

“It went beyond being a verbal, agitated moment and you came to blows … I suggest to you the reason why that took place is because he tried to intervene because you had defecated on Hayley Costello while she was asleep,” the barrister said.

But Allen Phillips denied this and said he had a verbal argument with his brother only over missing cash from his wallet.

It was not alleged Allen had anything to do with his brother’s death and he was not charged.

Cavanagh, McIvor and O’Keefe will return to court for a sentence hearing when a date is fixed in about six weeks.