Trial By Jury: Murder in Shetland

In October 2025, her boyfriend Aren Pearson stands accused of her murder at Edinburgh's High Court. Leading the prosecution is Advocate Depute Margaret Barron. Addressing the court, she outlines the Crown's account of Claire's final hours and begins to present the evidence against the accused. Among the material heard are Claire's own secret recordings and the emergency call made in the immediate aftermath of the killing. What is said is extraordinary, disturbing and seemingly damning. 

After a week of evidence for the prosecution, attention turns to the defence, as the accused prepares to give his account to the court. Aren Pearson takes to the witness stand to give evidence in his own defence, denying responsibility for the killing of his girlfriend Claire Leveque. But he faces intense questioning from the Crown as further evidence is presented in court. As his account is challenged, moments of testimony leave the jury stunned, with the courtroom visibly moved and left in tears. Away from the proceedings, Claire's family make an emotional journey to Sandness in Shetland. It is a painful pilgrimage. With all the evidence now heard, the jury retires to deliberate. The emotional weight of the case is undeniable. But the question at the heart of the trial remains unresolved: has the Crown done enough to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt?