A man previously acquitted of killing his affluent wife has now been determined by a coroner to have committed the murder. Donald McPherson, 53, a convicted fraudster, was initially cleared of the crime during his trial in 2021 but has now been found guilty of murdering his wife, Paula Leeson, who died in a supposed accidental drowning incident in Denmark in 2017.

Following his wife’s death, McPherson swiftly emptied her accounts to settle his debts. Despite attempting to inherit his late wife’s substantial estate, valued at £4.4 million, McPherson was thwarted by her family, who operate a plant hire business in southern Manchester.

McPherson, with a history of 32 convictions across three countries, concealed his past from his wife by assuming different identities and fabricating stories. The High Court ruled in favor of the Leeson family’s claim that McPherson had unlawfully killed his wife for financial gain by strangling her unconscious and causing her drowning in a swimming pool.

During the inquest, the coroner concurred with the unlawful killing verdict, stating that McPherson, burdened by debts, was the sole beneficiary of his wife’s death. Despite living in New Zealand, McPherson has evaded serving a life sentence for the murder. The Leeson family continues their pursuit for justice in the hopes of compelling new evidence that could lead to a retrial.

The tragic incident unfolded during a summer vacation in Denmark, where Ms. Leeson drowned in a 4-foot pool despite being able to swim. Initially presumed to be an accident, further investigations revealed suspicious circumstances surrounding her death, including McPherson’s immediate financial activities post the incident.

The Leeson family, deeply affected by the loss, remains resolute in seeking justice for Paula, emphasizing the need for accountability in the face of a profound miscarriage of justice. The ongoing investigations and efforts to uncover new evidence reflect the family’s unwavering commitment to seeking closure in this tragic case.