Alberta’s top court dismisses appeal for Calgary man who killed toddler and her mother

Alberta’s apical tribunal has upheld nan condemnation of a Calgary man who admitted to sidesplitting his woman and was besides recovered blameworthy successful her daughter’s death.

Robert Leeming had pleaded blameworthy to nan second-degree execution of Jasmine Lovett successful 2019, but not blameworthy to nan aforesaid complaint successful nan decease of 22-month-old Aliyah Sanderson.

Leeming was handed an automatic life condemnation without nan anticipation of parole for 22 years.

In appealing his 2022 conviction, Leeming based on nan proceedings judge erred successful his conclusions astir nan child’s death.

In a determination released Tuesday, Leeming’s situation was unanimously rejected by the Alberta Court of Appeal.

“We reason that nan proceedings judge made nary reversible error. He cautiously considered each nan grounds and came to reasonable conclusions astir what inferences could and could not beryllium drawn from that evidence,” said Justice Bernette Ho successful nan ruling.

“Ultimately, he was decently satisfied beyond a reasonable uncertainty of nan guilt of nan appellant. The entreaty must beryllium dismissed.”

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Leeming had testified he was looking aft Aliyah erstwhile she fell down immoderate stairs, and that he recovered her limp and unresponsive erstwhile he checked connected her later.

Trial judge Keith Yamauchi said Leeming was not a believable witnesser and location was nary uncertainty that Leeming caused nan injuries which led to nan girl’s death.

“Her injuries were not accidental. He meant to origin Aliyah’s decease aliases meant to origin bodily harm to Aliyah that was apt to origin her death,” nan judge said.

Leeming said he snapped erstwhile Lovett accused him of doing thing to her child, and struck her respective times pinch a hammer earlier coming backmost pinch a firearm and shooting her successful nan head.

The bodies of nan mother and kid were recovered buried successful a shallow sedate westbound of Calgary.