Born in Erdington, a suburb of Birmingham, England, Leake attended Albert Road School in Aston.

[3] At the age of 24, he left the British Army to work for private security companies, including for Securicor at Birmingham Airport.

[1][3] Petty Officer Leake originally joined HMS Ardent as a civilian NAAFI Canteen Manager.

Along with the remaining crew, Leake abandoned ship, boarding HMS Yarmouth, which pulled alongside the listing Ardent.

[citation needed] Leake was later posted to HMS Sutherland, and died on 13 February 2000 in St Luke's Hospice, Plymouth, from cancer after previously having a kidney removed in an attempt to beat the disease.

Admiral Sandy Woodward, the commander of the British Naval Force during the Falklands War, wrote about Leake in his memoirs.