Now we can finally grieve for Leanne
Family speak out after killer gets life
THE MOTHER of Leanne Collopy has said her family will finally be able to grieve now her killer has been given a life sentence.
Nursery worker Leanne was stabbed 21 times after being lured to her home in Loveclough by her ex-boyfriend Saleem Said, who then set fire to her body last July.
The court heard that 22-month-old daughter Leila suffered significant burns to her body and that Leanne’s last heroic act was to save her daughter from the flames that were about to engulf them.
Leanne suffered horrific injuries and died in hospital four days later. After the sentencing, Leanne’s mum Julie Doherty told the Free Press: “No sentence he could get will bring her back. I’m just hoping now that we will have a chance to grieve properly and really come to terms with what happened, if we ever will, because it was just so horrific.”
A JEALOUS and depressed man who lured his ex-partner to her house to kill her in a ‘vicious, pre-meditated and frenzied’ attack has been jailed for life, a court heard.
Leanne Collopy sustained 21 ‘substantial’ knife wounds to her body when she was attacked by Saleem Said at her home in Loveclough on July 30 last year, a court heard.
Said also set fire to the nursery worker’s body in a ‘completely barbaric way to destroy evidence’.
Preston Crown Court heard how their 22-month-old daughter Leila was in the property at the time and suffered ‘significant burns’ to her body and her clothes were also covered in petrol.
Prosecutor Frances McEntee said Leanne’s ‘last heroic act was to save her daughter from the flames that were about to engulf them’.
Care worker Said, 40, told the court that he never intended to kill or harm Leanne and only produced the knife and petrol to show her that he was ‘suicidal’ and serious about taking his own life.
However, Judge Mr Justice Robert Jay said his account was ‘wholly implausible’ and ‘truly inexplicable’.
Said, of Woodcroft Street, Rawtenstall, pleaded guilty to murder and arson with intent to endanger life and was given a 30-year life sentence.
The court heard how Leanne ended their relationship in April 2017 and in the weeks leading up to the attack Said had made ‘sinister’ searches on the internet.
Mr McEntee said the defendant had bought 5.5 litres of petrol and a petrol can from a service station in Rawtenstall and also purchased duct tape and white spirit from Asda in the town.
The court heard how Said ‘lured’ Leanne back to her home under a ‘ruse’.
When he arrived at her Burnley Road home he was carrying a bag containing two knives, the petrol canister and other items including a dressing gown cord, the tape and white spirit and tablets.
Neighbours later heard Leanne screaming ‘help me, help me, he’s stabbing me’ and Mr McEntee said the defendant was engaged in a ‘sustained and brutal attack’ on his ex-partner.
He said: “Leanne’s last actions clearly were to try and protect her child from Mr Said and the fire.”
Neighbours were unable to gain entry into the house because the front door was locked but could see flames behind they door, the court heard.
Emergency services were called for help and police, with the help of members of the public, forced entry into the burning house and rescued Leanne, Leila and Said. The court heard how Leanne sustained 21 ‘substantial ‘stab wounds that were ‘delivered with some force’ to her face, neck, abdomen, arms and legs.
She also suffered 65 per cent burns to her body and passed away four days later in hospital despite ‘considerable medical intervention’.
A post-mortem examination found that she died as a result of burns and multiple stab wounds.
Leila suffered ‘lifechanging injuries‘ including burns to 22 per cent of her body and has needed multiple surgeries and skin grafts.
The court heard how she will have ‘significant ongoing treatment’.
Harrowing victim impact statements were read out at the sentencing hearing by Leanne’s mum Julie Doherty and her father’s partner Helen Greenwood.
Julie said there are ‘no words to describe the impact of Leanne’s death’ and that they feel an ‘indescribable and incomprehensible physical ache inside’ and an ‘emptiness that will never go away.’
Helen said their lives ‘can never be the same’ and they ‘need justice for Leanne’.
Mukhtar Hussain QC, defending, said the defendant, who has no previous convictions, deserved credit for his guilty plea and that it showed ‘enormous courage to plead to murder’.
He told the court that Said had shown ‘deep and genuine remorse and contrition’ and that he issued a ‘public an unreserved apology and remorse’ to Leanne’s family.
However, the Judge rejected claims that said was remorseful and said it was a ‘vicious, premeditated attack spurred by [his] unconstrained jealousy’.
Sentencing, he said: “It’s clear to me that you had difficulties accepting your relationship with Leanne was over. You received treatment for depression, however it’s also clear to me that you were researching the conclusion that if you could not have Leanne then you would have to kill her.
“That conclusion had solidified by mid/late July and there were various internet searches which are not corroborated by the proposition that you intended to harm yourself.
“You lured Leanne back to her home. You were looking for an opportunity to be alone with Leanne at her home. You intended to kill her and destroy her body.
“She suffered significant injuries to her hands which were in an attempt to defend herself while the frenzied attack was taking place.
“The victim impact statements were read out with the utmost dignity and strength.
“I don’t believe you have shown any genuine remorse or contrition. Instead you have shown self-pity.
“You are of sound mind and in control of your actions and you must have been aware of the full horror that you were doing.”