Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering his girlfriend in a hot tub in Shetland, Scotland.
Aren Pearson, 41, stabbed 24-year-old Claire Leveque to death at his mother’s home in Sandness on 11 February 2024. Pearson denied the murder, claiming in court that Ms Leveque had stabbed herself. However, a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh found him guilty.
Judge Lord Arthurson described the crime as one of “exceptional depravity” and “feral butchery,” noting that Pearson’s evidence in court was “malicious” and “fabricated.” Pearson must serve a minimum of 25 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
Police described the couple’s relationship as “controlling and violent,” and said Pearson had attempted to degrade and abuse Ms Leveque before the murder. During the attack, she was stabbed more than 25 times on her neck and chest.
The couple, both originally from Canada, had moved to Scotland in 2023. On the night of the murder, Pearson’s mother, Hazel Pearson, dialled 999 after witnessing the attack. She found Ms Leveque in a hot tub located in a shed, with the water stained red with blood.
Pearson initially confessed to the killing during the emergency call and to police at the crime scene, admitting he had stabbed Ms Leveque about 40 times. However, he later told the court that she had acted in self-defense, claiming she stabbed herself after an argument.
Evidence presented during the trial highlighted Pearson’s history of coercive control and manipulation. Prosecutor Margaret Barron noted the substantial and compelling nature of the evidence, including Pearson’s confessions to medical staff while being treated at Gilbert Bain Hospital.
“You had from almost the outset of her arrival there subjected her to a cruel campaign of violence and coercive control… This was a sustained episode of feral butchery,” Lord Arthurson told Pearson.
Family members described Ms Leveque as a bright, happy, and adventurous young woman. Her father, Clint Leveque, said she had been a “typical daddy’s girl,” while her cousin, Hope Ingram, remembered her as “bubbly” and full of life.
Andrea Manson, convenor of the Shetland Islands Council, expressed hope that the verdict would bring closure to the family, emphasizing the tragic impact of the crime on the normally safe community.
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