CAUTION: This report recounts incidents of domestic violence and might be distressing for those who have encountered similar situations personally or know individuals who have.
A man in Scotland has been found guilty by a Scottish jury for the murder of his Canadian girlfriend on the remote Shetland Islands. The defendant, Aren Pearson, 41, has been sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison by Judge Paul Arthurson for the assault and killing of 24-year-old Claire Leveque. Leveque, originally from Westlock, Alta., had been residing and working in Edmonton.
Other charges against Pearson, including trying to obstruct justice, were dropped. In the United Kingdom, a conviction for murder results in an obligatory life sentence, and in this case, the judge specified that Pearson must serve at least 25 years before being eligible for parole.
CAUTION: Video content contains distressing details | Aren Pearson was found guilty by a jury for the brutal 2024 murder of his Canadian girlfriend, Claire Leveque, in the secluded Shetland Islands of Scotland. Pearson received a sentence of at least 25 years in prison.
Following the court proceedings, Hope Ingram, Leveque’s cousin, expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the case, including the detectives, Crown officials, the judge, and the jury members. Ingram, who flew from Edmonton to attend the trial and support her uncle, described her relationship with Leveque as more akin to siblings than cousins.
Ingram emphasized the importance of achieving justice for Leveque and highlighted the hope that this outcome will assist other victims of domestic violence in coming forward and seeking help.
Revealing Details in Court
The couple met in Edmonton and moved to Sandness, a small community in the Shetland Islands, in 2023. Pearson, a Canadian citizen, stated in court that he had applied for and received his U.K. citizenship shortly after Leveque’s death.
The prosecution’s case relied heavily on Pearson’s admissions during a 48-minute 999 emergency call made on Feb. 11, 2024, from a residence in Sandness. Pearson confessed to the emergency operator that he had fatally stabbed his girlfriend more than 40 times in a hot tub, causing severe injuries to her heart, stomach, face, and neck.