Court / Five charges dropped as jury in Sandness murder trial considers verdict
FIVE of the seven charges against Aren Pearson have been dropped as the jury considers its verdict on whether he killed his former partner in Sandness last year.
A prosecutor told jurors at the High Court in Edinburgh today (Tuesday) there is “credible and reliable evidence” to find 41-year-old Pearson guilty of the murder of Claire Leveque on 11 February 2024.
Advocate Margaret Barron urged the jury to find Pearson guilty of taking Leveque’s life at his mother’s house in Sandness.
In her closing speech to jurors, Barron said jurors could be confident that Pearson repeatedly stabbed Leveque from the evidence provided.
“It is clear that the accused was prepared to use violence in his actions towards Claire Leveque,” she told them.
“There were 55 injuries inflicted on Claire. At least 26 of them were stab wounds – nineteen of them were to her head and neck.
“Claire Leveque was subjected to a brutal and sustained assault which led directly to her death.”
She was addressing jurors on the sixth day of proceedings and spoke moments after Pearson, a Canadian citizen, was acquitted of five of the seven charges.
The Crown withdrew charges that Pearson behaved in a threatening or abusive manner towards Leveque, that he uttered a threat about possessing “grenades” and that he attempted to defeat the ends of justice following the alleged murder.
A charge that he made offensive remarks to police officers and shouted and swore at the Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick was also withdrawn.
Following the Crown’s decision, Lord Arthurson told Pearson: “I formally acquit you of the charges.”
He is still standing trial on allegations of assaulting Leveque and murdering her.
Barron said the Crown case rested on admissions that Pearson made to a 999 operator on 11 February 2024.
The jurors had earlier heard Pearson say during the phone call: “Hello, hi, my name is Aren Pearson. I’ve just killed my girlfriend in the hot tub in the garage.”
The prosecutor also reminded them of a doctor who gave evidence during the trial, who said Pearson had told her in hospital he had been “trying to get rid of her [Leveque] for a while”.
Barron said Pearson had also disclosed the location of the injuries which had been inflicted on Leveque’s body. The findings of pathologists confirmed Pearson’s account of where her injuries had been.
She added: “I submit that you should find him guilty.”
In his closing speech, defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson KC said a pathologist who gave evidence to court was unable to say that the location of injuries on Leveque’s body could not have been inflicted by herself.
He urged jurors to acquit his client.
Paterson added: “The case must be proven to beyond a reasonable doubt. I say to you that the Crown have not done this.”
The last two charges which Pearson is standing trial on sees prosecutors claim that on various occasions between October 21 2023 and January 31 2024, the accused assaulted Leveque by inflicting “blunt force trauma” to her head and body.
Prosecutors claim that on 11 February 2024, at a garage in Sandness, Pearson assaulted Leveque by repeatedly striking her on the head, neck and body with a knife.
They also claim that Pearson repeatedly inflicted blunt force trauma to her head, neck and body by “means to the prosecutor unknown.”
Prosecutors then claim that Pearson compressed her neck and did “submerge her head and body in water” and that he murdered her.
Pearson has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The jury is now considering its verdict.
The trial continues.
By James Mulholland of Edinburgh Courts Press Services Ltd.
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