A coroner records a conclusion that Donald McPherson must have murdered his wife, Paula Leeson, after her death in 2017 in Sale. Leeson, 47, is reported to have been found dead in a swimming pool while she was on holiday with McPherson. The BBC, Mirror, Manchester Evening News and Daily Mail all describe that the case follows an earlier criminal outcome in which McPherson was cleared of the murder at trial. The Daily Mail says he was ordered to be found not guilty after a judge directed the jury partway through his 2021 trial. In the coroner’s inquest, the BBC reports that McPherson had taken out £3.5m life insurance shortly before Leeson’s death, a detail echoed across the coverage of the background to the case. The Mirror and other outlets report the coroner’s finding in strong terms that McPherson killed his wife, despite the prior acquittal. The sources agree the inquest reaches a different conclusion from the earlier criminal trial verdict, treating the death as a murder.
Coroner rules Donald McPherson must have murdered wife Paula Leeson after 2017 death
A coroner records a conclusion that Donald McPherson must have murdered his wife, Paula Leeson, after her death in 2017 in Sale. Leeson, 47, is reported to have been found dead in a swimming pool whil...
- Paula Leeson dies in 2017 after being found in a swimming pool in Sale while on holiday with her husband, Donald McPherson.
- McPherson was previously cleared of murder at his 2021 trial after a judge directed a not-guilty verdict.
- A coroner now finds McPherson must have murdered Leeson.
- The BBC reports McPherson took out about £3.5m life insurance shortly before Leeson’s death.
- Multiple outlets describe the coroner’s conclusion as reaching a different outcome from the criminal trial verdict.
A coroner has found that Donald McPherson must have murdered his wife Paula Leeson after she was found in a pool in 2017, despite him previously being cleared of the killing
1 hour agoDonald McPherson, who lived with wife Paula Leeson in Sale, had taken out £3.5m life insurance shortly before her death.
2 hours agoConman Donald McPherson, 53, was ordered to be found not guilty of the murder of his wife Paula Leeson, 47, on a judge's direction to the jury halfway through his trial in 2021.
2 hours agoPaula Leeson, from Sale, was found dead in a swimming pool while on holiday with husband Donald McPherson
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