A judge has found a man who admitted to murdering his former girlfriend guilty of killing her young daughter as well.

Robert Leeming, 37, had pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Jasmine Lovett, but not guilty in the death of 22-month-old Aliyah Sanderson.

Leeming testified he was looking after Aliyah in May 2019, when she fell down some stairs in his Calgary home. When he checked on her later, he found her limp and unresponsive, he said.

He said he snapped when Lovett accused him of doing something to her child and he struck the woman several times with a hammer before shooting her in the head with a rifle.

Court of QueenB次元官网网址檚 Justice Keith Yamauchi said Leeming was not a believable witness and convicted him of second-degree murder in the childB次元官网网址檚 death.

B次元官网网址淭his court does not believe his explanation of how Aliyah died,B次元官网网址� the judge said in his decision Monday. B次元官网网址淚t does not believe his evidence.B次元官网网址�

Yamauchi said the reason for LeemingB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渕urderous rampageB次元官网网址� on Lovett B次元官网网址渄efies logicB次元官网网址� and there was no doubt that Leeming caused the injuries which led to the girl dying.

B次元官网网址淗er injuries were not accidental. He meant to cause AliyahB次元官网网址檚 death or meant to cause bodily harm to Aliyah that was likely to cause her death,B次元官网网址� the judge said.

B次元官网网址淲hy would he not use his best efforts to find Aliyah help? Instead he went downstairs for a cigarette.B次元官网网址�

Yamauchi said he isnB次元官网网址檛 sure why Leeming killed the girl. He said it appeared to have happened after her mother was already dead.

B次元官网网址淭his court does not know with any precision the exact time Mr. Leeming assaulted Aliyah; however, it has found beyond a reasonable doubt he did.B次元官网网址�

The bodies of the mother and daughter were found in a shallow grave west of Calgary in Kananaskis Country in May 2019 after they had been missing for weeks.

A sentencing date for Leeming is to be set Feb. 11.

The victimsB次元官网网址� family members were in the courtroom for the verdict.

B次元官网网址淰ery relieved. I think I held my breath the whole time,B次元官网网址� said LovettB次元官网网址檚 mother and AliyahB次元官网网址檚 grandmother, Kim Blankert, outside court.

B次元官网网址淚 wanted to get up and hug the judge but I know that would have looked super weird. Obviously happy is not the best word. but (weB次元官网网址檙e) pleased that we got justice and relieved that itB次元官网网址檚 over. We can just go back to healing and just getting on with our lives.B次元官网网址�

Jodi Sanderson, AliyahB次元官网网址檚 paternal grandmother, said she was worried about the verdict after sitting through most of the trial.

B次元官网网址淗is actions and demeanour were nothing but disturbing,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淭here was a little concern there.B次元官网网址�

Crown prosecutor Doug Taylor said he hopes the verdict brings the family some peace.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e thinking of them and we hope that today is a day that they can feel like justice has been served.B次元官网网址�

Taylor said itB次元官网网址檚 difficult to try a case involving a young childB次元官网网址檚 death.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 impossible for it to leave your mind, the magnitude of what youB次元官网网址檙e dealing with.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擝ill Graveland, The Canadian Press