Estranged wife of Brit rearrested over double murder in Canada claims ‘cruel’ husband left her terrified for her life
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 estranged wife of a Brit arrested over a suspected double murder in Canada says she feared for her life at the hands of her "cruel" husband.
Canadian private school teacher Sara Leeming said she was so terrified during moments of their relationship she had to lock herself and their young son in a bedroom.
Robert Leeming, 34 - whose parents live in a village near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs - was arrested overnight as the prime suspect in the deaths of his ex-girlfriend Jasmine Lovett, 25, and her nearly two-year-old daughter Aaliyah Sanderson.
Although he was first arrested in relation to the case a fortnight ago, he was later released while cops raided his home and told local press they believed the bodies had been dumped or possibly burned in nearby woodlands.
Last night their bodies were finally discovered, leading to Leeming's re-arrest and despite his protestations he has done "nothing wrong".
'GAS LIGHTING'
In shocking divorce papers obtained by The Sun Online Sara claims she lived in fear of her husband and she was the victim of "gas lighting" - a manipulative order whereby a person makes another question their own memory and sanity.
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."
Leeming admitted in divorce papers that he legally kept guns and knives locked up in a vault safe at the marital home - which later Jasmine and her child moved into.
He collected and stored 60 blades including Leatherman and Bowie and ranging from half-inch to eight-inch.
She said in documents: "He told me that he thought maybe the mixture of medication he was taking for his diabetes and depression made him do it. He declared he was normal and that I needed mental help."
'HE TOLD ME I WAS USELESS'
Sara told of a visit her in-laws made from the UK in February 2017 and that while she was at work her husband left their son at home alone to pick up his parents.
On another occasion while the five were eating in a restaurant her husband took their fractious son outside to calm him down but left him alone in his car seat in their truck.
She panicked when he returned without their son and she ran outside to find him crying, adding: "It was minus 10 degrees that night and snowing."
She continued: "He tells me many, many, many times that I am a nuisance, worthless, good for nothing. He told his parents that I am the reason he has diabetes."
She added: "He left jobs after being accused of stealing. He uses drugs and as our marriage came to an end he began drinking and smoking marijuana almost daily triggering arguments and rants against me, calling me useless."
Sara told how she was freaked out when she saw her husband had been searching articles on his laptop about a man tying his dog to a tree and leaving it to die and a mother and son who died in a house fire.
She said she suffered from post-partum depression after their son was born, adding: "I do not have mental health issues.
CUSTODY BATTLE
The couple are battling for custody of their son and are also disputing ownership of the marital home where Leeming lives.
He stated in documents that he "believes his wife has always suffered with mental health issues," adding: "Throughout our marriage she accused me of having affairs simply because I was working late. She is quite unstable."
He said they sought marriage counselling a year ago, a month before they split up.
Leeming, who holds a restrictive gun licence, said: "I own a number of firearms and a number of knives. I have collected knives since I was seven years old."
He "completely denies" all allegations made by his wife over his ability to care for their son. He has supervised parenting time with the boy.
The suspect, who has two brothers Christopher and George, has told local cops he "did nothing wrong" and was "just a regular Joe".
He told Canadian media he was "traumatised" over the disappearance of his tenant and her daughter. He had been to a picnic area near Bragg Creek, a hamlet in Southern Alberta, with the pair the day before they disappeared.
Police officers, hampered by heavy snowfalls, had been painstakingly scouring a wooded area for nearly a week but found the bodies at another location, Grizzly Creek in Kananaskis.
Last night they said: "At approximately 4am on Monday we located the bodies of a woman and child, believed to be that of Jasmine Lovett and Aliyah Sanderson, in Kananaskis.
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"The investigation led officers to a heavily wooded area near Grizzly Creek located off Highway 40, where the bodies were discovered.
"Autopsies are expected to begin today. Formal identification of the deceased will be done by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
"A suspect has been taken into custody and charges are pending."
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