Trial By Jury: The Killing of Claire Leveque is a compelling two-part documentary series, produced by Big Little Fish offering exclusive access to the murder trial at the Edinburgh High Court that followed the tragic murder of 24-year-old Canadian, Claire Leveque, who was brutally killed by her boyfriend while living on the Shetland Islands. The series also has exclusive access to Claire’s family as they faced the harrowing days of the trial and beyond.

When Claire Leveque left her home in Alberta for adventure in Scotland’s remote Shetland Islands, she believed her sports car-driving boyfriend, who claimed to be a Bitcoin millionaire, would take care of her. Instead, within months she was dead; found repeatedly stabbed in a hot tub.

Filmed with rare in-court camera access granted by the Lord Justice General, the chilling events surrounding her brutal killing are examined revealing horrific details that shook a close-knit island community in Shetland and left a family in North America heartbroken. The case highlights the profound toll of intimate partner violence and the challenges of uncovering domestic abuse in rural areas.

Using fixed in-court rig the documentary follows the eight-day trial that led to a unanimous guilty verdict and a life sentence with a minimum term of 25 years for Claire’s boyfriend Aren Pearson, a fellow Canadian with family ties to Shetland. Judge Lord Arthurson described the crime as “a sustained episode of feral butchery,” while paying tribute to the “dignity and restraint” shown by Claire’s family, who travelled from Canada to attend every day of proceedings.

Throughout the trial, the court heard harrowing evidence - including the accused on a recorded 999 call and video footage that exposed the extent of his violence - evidence that the jury found impossible to ignore despite the accused’s repeated denials on the stand.

Father of Claire, Clint Leveque said: “My little girl was stolen from me. I’ll never get to hug her again, hear her laugh or see her smile. I’ll never see the woman she would have become. She’ll never have the chance to be a mother or grandmother, or to know the love a parent has for their child and know that is the love I have for her.”

From Claire’s small Canadian hometown to the windswept Shetland village where she lived in near-isolation, the documentary pieces together her final months through testimony, archive footage and investigative reporting. The series also follows Clint and his fiancée, Jenny, as they make an emotional journey to the island to confront their grief.

Described by her cousin Hope Ingram as “a bubbly, fun girl who brought life to every room she walked into,” Claire grew up in Alberta, Canada, and had recently moved to Shetland with dreams of travelling and experiencing the world. Just weeks after arriving, she became the victim of domestic violence that would tragically end her life.

Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning at 5 added: “This thoughtful series gives a deeply human account of an unimaginable tragedy. It shines a light on the justice process and honours the courage of Claire’s family as they seek truth and remembrance.”

Mark Procter, Executive Producer for Big Little Fish commented: “We are profoundly grateful to the Judicial Office for Scotland and to everyone who enabled our access to the trial. Above all, we are honoured that the Leveque family have entrusted us to document what happened to Claire. We hope this series serves as a respectful tribute — giving her the voice that was so cruelly taken from her.”

Trial By Jury: The Killing of Claire Leveque - (2x60’) is commissioned by Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning at 5.

Produced by Big Little Fish, the series marks the independent company’s first commission for 5. Mark Procter and Peter Usher serve as Executive Producers, with Georgina Surtees as Executive in Charge of Production. It is filmed and directed by John Holdsworth.

The series will be distributed internationally by Sphere Abacus, who confirmed today that the series will be available in Canada exclusively on Bell Media’s Crave.