John Bootland, 57, has pleaded guilty to the murder of 62-year-old Colleen Westerman in Leeds last November. The stunning confession came today at Leeds Crown Court, ending weeks of uncertainty in a case that rocked the local community.
Brutal Attack in Woodhouse
On the night of Thursday 6 November 2025, police rushed to a disturbance at a home on Melville Gardens, Woodhouse, Leeds. Officers found Colleen with multiple severe injuries. She was sadly declared dead at the scene.
Sentencing Scheduled for April
Bootland, who lives at the same Melville Gardens address, is set to be sentenced on 1 April 2026. Detective Inspector Tom Hilyer, leading the probe, said:
“We welcome Bootland’s guilty plea today, particularly as it has spared Colleen’s family the ordeal of a trial. We now await Bootland’s sentencing and our thoughts remain with family members at what remains a very difficult time.”
