A new two-part documentary, Murder In Shetland: Trial By Jury, is set to air on Channel 5, offering a rare glimpse into a horrific murder case through courtroom recordings. The programme details the brutal killing of 24-year-old Canadian Claire Leveque by her boyfriend, Aren Pearson, in the remote Shetland Islands.
Leveque had moved to Sandness to be with Pearson, but within months she was dead. On February 11, 2024, Pearson choked and repeatedly stabbed her in a hot tub at his mother's home. Despite denying the crime, he was convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years.
The documentary includes never-before-seen footage from the eight-day trial, featuring testimony, secret recordings made by Leveque, and the emergency call made after the killing. Forensic evidence and intense questioning of Pearson are also highlighted, with the courtroom visibly moved to tears.
Judge Lord Arthurson described the crime as 'a sustained episode of feral butchery' and praised Leveque's family for their 'dignity and restraint' throughout the proceedings. Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning at Channel 5, said the series 'gives a deeply human account of an unimaginable tragedy' and 'honours the courage of Claire’s family as they seek truth and remembrance.'
Murder In Shetland: Trial By Jury airs on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th April at 9pm on Channel 5.
