Dangerous offender status for man found guilty in shooting of girlfriend

James Alexander Brown. (Source: St. Thomas Police Service)

On May 16th of 2023, the life of Paige Havell, 27, changed forever. That’s when her boyfriend at the time shot her in the back in a Talbot Street apartment in St. Thomas.

She survived and is now paralyzed from the chest down, but her dog was killed.

James Brown, 41, a man with a violent and lengthy criminal record took off from the scene leaving Paige in a pool of blood.

He was eventually tracked down by St. Thomas police and arrested and charged.

A jury would find him guilty of discharging a firearm with intent to wound.

Havell now lives in London with her life altered forever.

“Right now, I’m on social assistance but that’s not enough,” said Havell.

“I can’t find an apartment so I’m in a long-term care facility.”

After a four-day Dangerous Offender hearing earlier this year, Justice Joseph Perfetto made his ruling citing that Brown had 61 prior convictions.

“There is a pattern of persistent aggressive behaviour by Mr. Brown ... he is and will remain to be a substantial threat,” he said.

“I find that there is no reasonable expectation that a lesser measure other than an indeterminate sentence will protect the public. I sentence James Brown to a sentence of detention in a penitentiary for an indeterminate period ... Mr. Brown will be designated to be a dangerous offender.”

“I like that fact so I can rest easier and not worry about him getting out,” said Havell.

As Brown was brought into court, he was in handcuffs and leg irons. Four officers were in the body of the courtroom during the proceedings.

“Now that James has been designated a dangerous offender, I feel relieved and hopefully nothing else will happen to anyone else and I can move on with my life,” added Havell.

Later in the day, St. Thomas Police Chief March Roskamp issued a statement.

“Today’s decision reinforces the fundamental principle that individuals who repeatedly commit serious violent offences must be held accountable for their actions and that the principle of community and victim safety remains paramount,” it read in part.

Meanwhile, Havell remains active on social media to spread the word about this type of violence saying, “Just trying to share my story so it doesn’t happen to anyone else. This process gave me so much anxiety not knowing what would happen and now that its over, I feel awesome.”