Husband cleared of murder 'killed his wealthy wife for money' judge rules

A judge has found a convicted fraudster drowned his wealthy wife despite being found not guilty of her murder years prior. Donald McPherson, 51, has been blocked from inheriting his wife's £4.4m estate and a court heard he had taken out multiple secret life insurance policies on her, worth £3.5 million alone.

Paula Leeson, 47, drowned in the swimming pool at a remote holiday cottage, booked by McPherson for a summer break in Denmark in 2017.

'Serial liar' McPherson was ordered to be found not guilty of the murder of Ms Leeson by a judge in 2021. The judge made a direction that the jury could not prove his guilt to a criminal standard beyond reasonable doubt, despite circumstantial evidence. For the latest news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter.

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Ms Leeson's family brought legal proceedings against McPherson at Manchester Civil Courts of Justice, to block him benefiting from her death and her £4.4 million estate. Following hearings earlier in 2024, Mr Justice Richard Smith on Friday ruled McPherson had killed his wife.

The judge said: "Don deliberately and unlawfully killed Paula by compressing her neck in an arm lock rendering her unconscious and causing her body to enter the pool to ensure her drowning and death. Don's motive for unlawfully killing Paula Leeson is clear: money."

He said the "critical question" was how Ms Leeson came to be in the 4ft-deep water and unable to save herself - saying that she must have been unconscious and that the distribution of her neck injuries suggested an arm lock by her husband.

McPherson was a "man of straw" despite appearing to the world like a man of means, the court heard. The judge added: "It is no exaggeration to say that lies and dishonesty pervade every aspect of Don's life. Don lies to anyone if it might serve his interests. I cannot begin to comprehend the pain and heartache that the Leesons have experienced as a result of Paula's death."

Her elderly father, Willy Leeson, and brother, Neville, sat with her son, Ben, were in court as the judgment was given. They run a successful skip and plant hire business in south Manchester, which Ms Leeson helped to run, and where she first came into contact with McPherson, who claimed to be a successful property developer.

Despite running out of money, he was paying about £500 a month on life insurance policies. McPherson was not present or represented in court and is believed to be living somewhere in the South Pacific. Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news.

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