Tragic Discovery at Leeds Council House
Sarah Aspin, a 47-year-old woman whose life became intertwined with the tumultuous world of singer Amy Winehouse, has been found dead at her modest council house in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The discovery was made on Saturday morning at approximately 8am, following a police response to a 'concern for safety' report at her ground floor maisonette in the Swillington area.
Police Investigation Underway
West Yorkshire Police have confirmed that paramedics treated Ms Aspin at the scene, but she was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. Detectives are currently treating her death as 'unexplained' while enquiries continue. A man found at the property was taken into custody for an offence unrelated to her death, with forensic officers remaining at the address until Sunday evening.
Heartbreaking Tributes from Family
Following the tragedy, Ms Aspin's eldest daughter, Melody-Rose Hampshire, paid tearful tributes to her mother on social media. Sharing childhood pictures and videos of their time together, she wrote: 'Love and miss you forever and always mum. Rest in eternal peace. Life is going to be boring without you in it.'
In another emotional Facebook post, she added: 'No words at all. Love you so much mum. May you rest in eternal peace, my beautiful mum. Doesn't seem real. I just want you here and speak to you about your crazy antics.'
Connection to Amy Winehouse's World
Ms Aspin first met Blake Fielder-Civil, Amy Winehouse's ex-husband, during a rehabilitation programme in 2009. At the time, Fielder-Civil was continuing his on-off relationship with the Back To Black star, who would tragically die later in 2011. Ms Aspin was already a mother of two when their relationship began following the collapse of Fielder-Civil's turbulent marriage to Winehouse.
The couple went on to have two children together - son Jack born in May 2011 and daughter Lola-Rose born in April 2013 - before reportedly separating in 2018. Their relationship was frequently overshadowed by Fielder-Civil's complicated love life, with Ms Aspin once warning Amy Winehouse to 'keep her hands off' her boyfriend, declaring: 'He is mine and we are a family now.'
Community Reaction and Neighbourhood Impact
Neighbours in the quiet Swillington area expressed shock at the tragedy. One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, described seeing police swarming the property early on Saturday morning: 'I was passing by the flat at around 8am on Saturday. That's when I saw the police swarming the property and I thought to myself, something was up.'
Another neighbour added: 'What has happened is sad. It has rocked the community, it is a nice, quiet area. We have lots of elderly residents, and young families. We are all friendly, we feel safe living here. Seeing police like that isn't a common sight.' Flowers were later left outside the front door of the property in tribute to Ms Aspin.
Historical Context and Emotional Complexity
Following Amy Winehouse's death in July 2011, Ms Aspin spoke about the emotional impact on Fielder-Civil, who was serving time in HMP Armley in Leeds at the time. She revealed: 'He is devastated and shattered. He just can't take it in that she's dead and he'll never see her again. Blake rang me on Saturday after the prison authorities told him she'd died. I just couldn't console him. He was in total shock.'
Ms Aspin displayed remarkable understanding of the complex emotions involved, acknowledging: 'Blake is the father of our son. But I saw him and Amy together and I know they were really in love and they were soulmates. She always loved him and he always loved her - but it was just never going to work. Basically they couldn't live with each other and they could not live without each other.'
She added poignantly: 'I think Amy could not get over the fact that Blake and I had had our son Jack. I think it hit her pretty hard. She would have made a fantastic mum, though, despite all her problems. What's happened is so tragic - an absolute waste.'
Legacy of a Tumultuous Relationship
Blake Fielder-Civil began his whirlwind romance with Amy Winehouse when they met in 2005. Their turbulent relationship inspired some of Winehouse's most famous songs, including You Know I'm No Good and Back To Black, before their divorce in 2009. Ms Aspin's cousin, Leanne Eastwood, also paid tribute on social media, writing: 'Sweet dreams to my beautiful cousin Sarah Aspin. Hope you finally found peace. Till we meet again. Gutted.'
The investigation into Sarah Aspin's death continues as her family and community mourn the loss of a woman whose life became unexpectedly connected to one of music's most tragic stories.
