GUILTY Canada - Jasmine Lovett, mid 20s, and daughter, 2, Calgary, 16 April 2019 *Arrest*

[ttcRider]

ughh This is even more horrific than I first imagined. My heart breaks for them.

 

[otto]

I thought the prosecution wrapped up Friday. No news today? Were there closing arguments today, or did the defence present an argument that precludes/ delays closing arguments?

Is the lawyer angling to have the murder of the child reduced to manslaughter on the basis that the prosecution did not provide evidence of forethought of murder?

Perhaps the mother injured the child. He has already pleaded guilty to 2nd degree of the mother - who died of a severe beating that would have caused her death before she was shot in the head?

The coroner waffled on whether the child, with injuries on three sides of her head, sustained the injuries during fall. He said it was unlikely, but could not rule it out. That's all the defence needs to say that it was an accident.

It's already been established with the bacon that the murders happened at home - although - why didn't anyone of the condo neighbours hear anything?

The defence theory will be that the mother harmed the child and the landlord was so distraught that he murdered the mother.

 

[MistyWaters]

I thought the prosecution wrapped up Friday. No news today? Were there closing arguments today, or did the defence present an argument that precludes/ delays closing arguments?

Is the lawyer angling to have the murder of the child reduced to manslaughter on the basis that the prosecution did not provide evidence of forethought of murder?

Perhaps the mother injured the child. He has already pleaded guilty to 2nd degree of the mother - who died of a severe beating that would have caused her death before she was shot in the head?

The coroner waffled on whether the child, with injuries on three sides of her head, sustained the injuries during fall. He said it was unlikely, but could not rule it out. That's all the defence needs to say that it was an accident.

It's already been established with the bacon that the murders happened at home - although - why didn't anyone of the condo neighbours hear anything?

The defence theory will be that the mother harmed the child and the landlord was so distraught that he murdered the mother.

I’m not sure why trial reporting abruptly ended although I notice GlobalNews reported “the prosecution was expected to wrap up its case Friday.” Will any defense witnesses be called or did the closing arguments just not get reported?

It’s disappointing the child’s head injuries might be attributed to accidental death but if I was a juror I’d have no doubt he was responsible for both mother/daughter deaths due to the similarities.

 

[otto]

Leeming took the stand. The child fell on the stairs, she seemed fine, he put her to bed. Mother came home later, checked on child, all was well, he checked on child later and she was limp. When she asked if he had done anything to the child, he hit her in the head with a hammer twice. I suppose he just happened to have a handy hammer in the kitchen.

As expected, he claims that the child died accidentally due to a fall, the mother was upset, he murdered her and then hid the evidence.

"A Calgary man ... testified Wednesday he had nothing to do with the death of her 22-month-old daughter. Robert Leeming broke down sobbing several times when he took the witness stand ...

Leeming said he picked Aliyah up from daycare on April 16, 2019, and got her a snack at home while Lovett went to job interviews.

He said he saw Aliyah start to climb a set of stairs. "I heard a thump and I saw her lying on the ground. She seemed all right. I picked her up and dusted her off.''

Leeming said Aliyah seemed normal when she was put to bed. Lovett came home and checked on her. He and Lovett had dinner and watched TV.

When he went upstairs to check on the little girl 45 minutes later, he said, something was wrong. "I picked her up and found she was limp and unresponsive,'' Leeming said.

He said he called Lovett upstairs and she was also unable to revive the girl. Leeming said he then went downstairs to get his phone and was confronted by Lovett.

"We were in the kitchen and were both crying and shouting at each other. She stood up to me and pointed at me and asked if I had done anything to Aliyah,'' Leeming said through tears.

"I freaked out. I snapped and hit her with a hammer on the head. I remember hitting her twice.'' Leeming said he stood there for awhile but didn't hit her again.

"She was dying and I wanted it to stop. I went to the garage and picked up a .22 and shot her in the head,'' Leeming said. "It was the only thing I thought could be quick.''
​

'Limp and unresponsive': Crying Robert Leeming takes the stand at Calgary murder trial

 

[MistyWaters]

Leeming took the stand. The child fell on the stairs, she seemed fine, he put her to bed. Mother came home later, checked on child, all was well, he checked on child later and she was limp. When she asked if he had done anything to the child, he hit her in the head with a hammer twice. I suppose he just happened to have a handy hammer in the kitchen.

As expected, he claims that the child died accidentally due to a fall, the mother was upset, he murdered her and then hid the evidence.

"A Calgary man ... testified Wednesday he had nothing to do with the death of her 22-month-old daughter. Robert Leeming broke down sobbing several times when he took the witness stand ...

Leeming said he picked Aliyah up from daycare on April 16, 2019, and got her a snack at home while Lovett went to job interviews.

He said he saw Aliyah start to climb a set of stairs. "I heard a thump and I saw her lying on the ground. She seemed all right. I picked her up and dusted her off.''

Leeming said Aliyah seemed normal when she was put to bed. Lovett came home and checked on her. He and Lovett had dinner and watched TV.

When he went upstairs to check on the little girl 45 minutes later, he said, something was wrong. "I picked her up and found she was limp and unresponsive,'' Leeming said.

He said he called Lovett upstairs and she was also unable to revive the girl. Leeming said he then went downstairs to get his phone and was confronted by Lovett.

"We were in the kitchen and were both crying and shouting at each other. She stood up to me and pointed at me and asked if I had done anything to Aliyah,'' Leeming said through tears.

"I freaked out. I snapped and hit her with a hammer on the head. I remember hitting her twice.'' Leeming said he stood there for awhile but didn't hit her again.

"She was dying and I wanted it to stop. I went to the garage and picked up a .22 and shot her in the head,'' Leeming said. "It was the only thing I thought could be quick.''
​

'Limp and unresponsive': Crying Robert Leeming takes the stand at Calgary murder trial

So there we have it, a fall down the stairs. Nothing unusual, no cause for concern, the child’s put to bed later that night but is unresponsive upon attempts to wake up and at some point the mother accuses him of hurting the child so he turns into a madman. Interestingly enough, even if this story is true his admittance of hitting the mother on the head with the hammer prevented her from calling 911 to seek immediate medical treatment. He’s going down IMO.

 

[otto]

So there we have it, a fall down the stairs. Nothing unusual, no cause for concern, the child’s put to bed later that night but is unresponsive upon attempts to wake up and at some point the mother accuses him of hurting the child so he turns into a madman. Interestingly enough, even if this story is true his admittance of hitting the mother on the head with the hammer prevented her from calling 911 to seek immediate medical treatment. He’s going down IMO.

We all saw that coming. It was wise to admit to 2nd degree murder regarding the mother (sentence is typically 10 years until parole), and arguing that the child's death was an accident. He's hoping for manslaughter.

However, having a hammer in the kitchen ready to use in case his roommate said something he didn't like, and deciding that a shotgun to the head is the best decision after two hammer blows to the head - that's quite an extreme reaction to being asked whether he did something to the child.

The child had injuries to the both sides and the back of the head. The coroner said those injuries were probably not caused by a fall, but a fall could not be ruled out.

 

[otto]

What a pathetic scene this must have been - the alleged child murderer hiccuping while blaming the mother and child for their deaths.

"Through much of his testimony, Leeming cried and hiccuped. He told Court of Queen's Bench Justice Keith Yamauchi that he loved Aliyah and "treated her as my own."
​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calg...-lovett-aliyah-murder-trial-defence-1.6227426

 

[MistyWaters]

The prosecutor, well done, this is good progress to get RL admitting to the jury that he lies. So why should anyone believe he didn’t also murder the child in a violent rage? Given his alcoholism, a child accidentally bumping into and tipping his drink on the coffee table would probably set him off. Or maybe she simply got in the way of his violence toward Jasmine. JMO


'That's a lie': Crown grills Robert Leeming about deaths of Jasmine Lovett, Aliyah Sanderson
“Under cross-examination Thursday, Leeming admitted to dismantling the girl's crib, putting it in the basement and disposing of her stroller to make it appear her mother had moved out of his home.

Leeming also said he sent texts to Lovett's phone – after she and her toddler were already dead – to say he had taken Aliyah to daycare and another one later suggesting they get pizza for dinner. Two unsent texts a week later said he knew Lovett was moving out and that she needed to check in because police were looking for her.

"I know you were talking about moving, haven't seen you in a couple days. Just wondering when you were going to pick up the rest of your things,'' read one unsent text from April 21, 2109.

Three days later: "Hey you OK. The CPS is looking for you here. Please call me. It's urgent or call 911.''

"It was misdirection,'' Leeming told Crown prosecutor Doug Taylor.

"That's what you call it? I call it lying,'' said Taylor….

……Taylor cited dozens of untruthful comments Leeming made to police and to media.

At one point Thursday, Leeming again denied killing Aliyah and defended a comment in a TV interview during which he said he wasn't a violent man.

"Really? When you hit Jasmine over the head with a hammer and then shot her in your kitchen, when she was on the floor, that's not violent?'' asked Taylor.

"Yes,''

"Yes what?'' pressed Taylor.

"That was violent.''…..”

 

[MistyWaters]

Robert Leeming admits lie after lie to cover up deaths of mom and girl | Calgary Herald
“Around the time he was murdering his live-in girlfriend for accusing him of inflicting deadly injuries on her toddler daughter, Robert Leeming was exchanging texts with his new squeeze, he acknowledged Thursday.

Leeming’s admission contradicted his earlier claim that he could not find his phone to call 911 when he discovered Aliyah Sanderson unresponsive in her crib the evening of April 16, 2019…”

Me - And now we learn of the prosecution’s theory. Ugg, there already has been testimony regarding his supposed devotion toward the child.

“The prosecutor suggested the truth was that Lovett discovered Leeming sexually assaulting the child and that’s why he killed her.

“You didn’t kill Jasmine because she was accusing you of doing something to Aliyah like a fall, or something, she was accusing you of something even worse, right?” Taylor said, noting the pathologist found evidence of potential sexual abuse.

“Maybe she even caught you doing it.”

“No, she did not,” Leeming said.

“This goes from what did you do to my child, to you grabbing a hammer, you didn’t even say anything, you didn’t even deny it,” Taylor said.

“After all those lies you’re telling the truth.”

“I am,” Leeming said.

His testimony will conclude Friday.

 

[LadyL]

Leeming took the stand. The child fell on the stairs, she seemed fine, he put her to bed. Mother came home later, checked on child, all was well, he checked on child later and she was limp. When she asked if he had done anything to the child, he hit her in the head with a hammer twice. I suppose he just happened to have a handy hammer in the kitchen.

As expected, he claims that the child died accidentally due to a fall, the mother was upset, he murdered her and then hid the evidence.

"A Calgary man ... testified Wednesday he had nothing to do with the death of her 22-month-old daughter. Robert Leeming broke down sobbing several times when he took the witness stand ...

Leeming said he picked Aliyah up from daycare on April 16, 2019, and got her a snack at home while Lovett went to job interviews.

He said he saw Aliyah start to climb a set of stairs. "I heard a thump and I saw her lying on the ground. She seemed all right. I picked her up and dusted her off.''

Leeming said Aliyah seemed normal when she was put to bed. Lovett came home and checked on her. He and Lovett had dinner and watched TV.

When he went upstairs to check on the little girl 45 minutes later, he said, something was wrong. "I picked her up and found she was limp and unresponsive,'' Leeming said.

He said he called Lovett upstairs and she was also unable to revive the girl. Leeming said he then went downstairs to get his phone and was confronted by Lovett.

"We were in the kitchen and were both crying and shouting at each other. She stood up to me and pointed at me and asked if I had done anything to Aliyah,'' Leeming said through tears.

"I freaked out. I snapped and hit her with a hammer on the head. I remember hitting her twice.'' Leeming said he stood there for awhile but didn't hit her again.

"She was dying and I wanted it to stop. I went to the garage and picked up a .22 and shot her in the head,'' Leeming said. "It was the only thing I thought could be quick.''
​

'Limp and unresponsive': Crying Robert Leeming takes the stand at Calgary murder trial

terrible

 

[otto]

Robert Leeming admits lie after lie to cover up deaths of mom and girl | Calgary Herald
“Around the time he was murdering his live-in girlfriend for accusing him of inflicting deadly injuries on her toddler daughter, Robert Leeming was exchanging texts with his new squeeze, he acknowledged Thursday.

Leeming’s admission contradicted his earlier claim that he could not find his phone to call 911 when he discovered Aliyah Sanderson unresponsive in her crib the evening of April 16, 2019…”

Me - And now we learn of the prosecution’s theory. Ugg, there already has been testimony regarding his supposed devotion toward the child.

“The prosecutor suggested the truth was that Lovett discovered Leeming sexually assaulting the child and that’s why he killed her.

“You didn’t kill Jasmine because she was accusing you of doing something to Aliyah like a fall, or something, she was accusing you of something even worse, right?” Taylor said, noting the pathologist found evidence of potential sexual abuse.

“Maybe she even caught you doing it.”

“No, she did not,” Leeming said.

“This goes from what did you do to my child, to you grabbing a hammer, you didn’t even say anything, you didn’t even deny it,” Taylor said.

“After all those lies you’re telling the truth.”

“I am,” Leeming said.

His testimony will conclude Friday.

There's the motive - he didn't want to be charged with sexual assault of a 22 month old girl, so he murdered the mother and the child. He'll go down in history as a sexual deviant and a child murderer.

 

[MistyWaters]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calg...al-cross-exam-jasmine-lovett-aliyah-1.6229550
“Someone tried to expose who I am and it ended bad."

That comment made by Robert Leeming to two undercover officers is at the centre of his motivation to murder a Calgary mother and toddler, prosecutor Doug Taylor suggested in his cross-examination of the accused Thursday….”

 

[otto]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calg...al-cross-exam-jasmine-lovett-aliyah-1.6229550
“Someone tried to expose who I am and it ended bad."

That comment made by Robert Leeming to two undercover officers is at the centre of his motivation to murder a Calgary mother and toddler, prosecutor Doug Taylor suggested in his cross-examination of the accused Thursday….”

This is worse that we imagined. Perhaps the child was in pain, or walking oddly, when mom returned home, and mom understood what the 22 month old was saying. Perhaps mom asked Leeming what happened, perhaps concerned that her daughter was assaulted at daycare.

I'm guessing that mom was going to call 911 to get help for her daughter, and Leeming wanted to prevent being "exposed" as a pedophile - so he grabbed the hammer. That would suggest that he killed mom first, and that the little girl was at his mercy until he killed her too - perhaps by repeatedly dropping her from the living room balcony until she was nearly dead with "fall" type injuries.

Leeming: "Someone tried to expose who I am and it ended bad."​

"On Thursday, during cross-examination, Taylor suggested Leeming deleted text messages to and from Lovett after he killed both mother and daughter because "Jasmine caught you doing something."

That "something," Taylor suggested, was connected to injuries to Aliyah's genital area.

The medical examiner testified those injuries were inflicted within 12 hours of her death.

"You didn't kill Jasmine because she was accusing you of doing something to Aliyah like a fall or something, she was accusing you of something even worse, right?" asked Taylor.

"No, she did not," Leeming replied.

"Maybe she even caught you doing it?" suggested Taylor.

"No, she did not," said Leeming.
​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calg...al-cross-exam-jasmine-lovett-aliyah-1.6229550

​

Police say evidence may have been burned in case of missing mom, child | Calgary Sun

 

[MistyWaters]

This is worse that we imagined. Perhaps the child was in pain, or walking oddly, when mom returned home, and mom understood what the 22 month old was saying. Perhaps mom asked Leeming what happened, perhaps concerned that her daughter was assaulted at daycare.

I'm guessing that mom was going to call 911 to get help for her daughter, and Leeming wanted to prevent being "exposed" as a pedophile - so he grabbed the hammer. That would suggest that he killed mom first, and that the little girl was at his mercy until he killed her too - perhaps by repeatedly dropping her from the living room balcony until she was nearly dead with "fall" type injuries.

Leeming: "Someone tried to expose who I am and it ended bad."​

"On Thursday, during cross-examination, Taylor suggested Leeming deleted text messages to and from Lovett after he killed both mother and daughter because "Jasmine caught you doing something."

That "something," Taylor suggested, was connected to injuries to Aliyah's genital area.

The medical examiner testified those injuries were inflicted within 12 hours of her death.

"You didn't kill Jasmine because she was accusing you of doing something to Aliyah like a fall or something, she was accusing you of something even worse, right?" asked Taylor.

"No, she did not," Leeming replied.

"Maybe she even caught you doing it?" suggested Taylor.

"No, she did not," said Leeming.
​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calg...al-cross-exam-jasmine-lovett-aliyah-1.6229550

​

Police say evidence may have been burned in case of missing mom, child | Calgary Sun

Good summary, this is what I think as well and he seems to have blatantly admitted it. “Someone tried to expose who I am and it ended badly” is as close to a confession as it gets, at the same time of being suspicious his new “friends” might be undercover officers. He is an absolute despicable idiot, not one ounce of remorse. I’d bet he had a past in UK which he was running from. JMO

 

[otto]

Good summary, this is what I think as well and he seems to have blatantly admitted it. “Someone tried to expose who I am and it ended badly” is as close to a confession as it gets, at the same time of being suspicious his new “friends” might be undercover officers. He is an absolute despicable idiot, not one ounce of remorse. I’d bet he had a past in UK which he was running from. JMO

That is the next thought, isn't it. He moved to Canada 6 years ago and seemed to settle in to become a Canadian citizen - got married, had a child, got a dog (which he tied to a tree and abandoned), bought a condo - all about setting up a new permanent life in a new country.

There must be some prior history of abnormal sexual interest in little girls. He's 36 years old. He didn't suddenly become like this. He must have narrowly escaped without charges in the UK, or are there charges in the UK that cannot be revealed until after the verdict?

He did more or less admit that he murdered Jasmine because she was going to report a sexual assault, and he was going to be exposed as the perpetrator. That makes it so much worse for the little girl, who I'm now fairly certain was murdered second.

 

[otto]

He abused animals, it appears that he sexually abused a little girl, he murdered a girlfriend, and it seems that he murdered a little girl.

The fire where a mother and son died is interesting. I'm curious whether there's a connection to him. Has anyone come across the name of the place where he lived in the UK prior to moving to Canada?

"Court documents show the man at the centre of a suspected double homicide investigation in Calgary has prior convictions for animal cruelty and owned an arsenal of weapons including two handguns, one shotgun and approximately 60 knives.

Global News has confirmed Robert Leeming pleaded guilty to three charges under the animal cruelty act in August 2018.
...

The documents show Leeming pleaded guilty to causing a dog to be in distress, failing to ensure the dog had adequate food and water, and failing to provide the dog with adequate shelter.

The incidents happened in May 2018.
...

Leeming is not allowed to be in the care or custody of an animal for 10 years.
...

According to an affidavit filed by Leeming’s estranged spouse during divorce proceedings in 2018, he took the family dog, Axel, to an area near Priddis and left him there. “He left our dog in the woods, chained to a tree to die,” the affidavit reads. The document goes on to say, “he was cruel and intimated things that caused me to fear for our lives at the end of our relationship.”
...

Leeming’s estranged wife also alleged that at one point, she checked his browser history and found articles about a mother and son who died in a house fire, as well as an article about a man who tied a dog to a tree and left him there to die.

“It didn’t leave my mind that he actually did one of those things,” she wrote."
​

April 29, 2019
Primary suspect in Calgary double-homicide investigation has prior animal cruelty convictions | Globalnews.ca

​

 

[otto]

This might be where he lived prior to moving to Calgary: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs

"Robert Leeming, 34 - whose parents live in a village near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs - was arrested for the second time overnight after the bodies of Jasmine Lovett, 25, and her daughter Aaliyah Sanderson, was discovered in woodland in Alberta, Canada
...

The heavy machinery mechanic married Sara in February 2013 after moving to Alberta, Canada, but they split up a year ago and have a mutual "no contact" order in place. Their four-year-old son lives with his mum.

She said in official documents: "He told me I was crazy, he said ‘You are nuts’ and he called me useless and worthless and telling me I needed psychiatric help."

Sara, who claims her estranged hubby had been stalking her after they separated, said: "He has emotionally destroyed me during our relationship.

"He blamed me for ruining his life, having a baby he didn’t want, having a dog that he didn't want. Everything was my fault.

"He was cruel and intimated things that caused me to fear for our lives at the end of our relationship."
​

7 May 2019
Estranged wife of Brit double murder suspect says he terrified her

 

[MistyWaters]

This might be where he lived prior to moving to Calgary: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs

"Robert Leeming, 34 - whose parents live in a village near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs - was arrested for the second time overnight after the bodies of Jasmine Lovett, 25, and her daughter Aaliyah Sanderson, was discovered in woodland in Alberta, Canada
...

The heavy machinery mechanic married Sara in February 2013 after moving to Alberta, Canada, but they split up a year ago and have a mutual "no contact" order in place. Their four-year-old son lives with his mum.

She said in official documents: "He told me I was crazy, he said ‘You are nuts’ and he called me useless and worthless and telling me I needed psychiatric help."

Sara, who claims her estranged hubby had been stalking her after they separated, said: "He has emotionally destroyed me during our relationship.

"He blamed me for ruining his life, having a baby he didn’t want, having a dog that he didn't want. Everything was my fault.

"He was cruel and intimated things that caused me to fear for our lives at the end of our relationship."
​

7 May 2019
Estranged wife of Brit double murder suspect says he terrified her

If RL’s father was in the military, the family probably moved around quite a bit. And I agree, one doesn’t suddenly begin torturing animals and violently killing helpless people, in addition to all this crazy lying and fabricating stupid stories to cover it up, in their 30s.

“Reports from The Sun news in the U.K. show the Leeming family have a military background, and Robert was born on a British Army base in Germany before living in Wiltshire, U.K.

John Leeming, Robert’s father, is a retired British military officer who took a job with defence contractor JCB after leaving the army.”
Robert Leeming faces deportation to U.K. if convicted of murders | Calgary Sun

 

[Tortoise]

Article from Feb 2020 -

A North Staffordshire man accused of killing a mother and her infant daughter has appeared in a Canadian court this week.

Robert Leeming, who is understood to have moved from the Cheadle area to Canada in 2013, appeared in court in Calgary, Alberta, yesterday (Monday February 3) for a preliminary hearing - local media in Canada report.

North Staffordshire man accused of Canadian double-murder appears in court

 

[otto]

Closing arguments today. Defence lawyer argues that there's no evidence that Leeming murdered the child.

"The lawyer for a man who has admitted to murdering his former girlfriend but denies killing her daughter says a lack of evidence should raise reasonable doubt about his guilt, but the Crown says his denial is a calculated scheme to get away with the crime.
...

In his closing arguments Tuesday, defence lawyer Balfour Der said there is no evidence to prove that Leeming was responsible for the girl's death.

Der said the medical examiner who testified at the trial acknowledged that it was possible the toddler's head injuries were the result of a fall down stairs.

"The absence of evidence will support reasonable doubt,'' Der told Court of Queen's Justice Keith Yamauchi, who has heard the case without a jury.​

Murder or an accident: Robert Leeming's trial in toddler's death hears final arguments