A convicted fraudster has been blocked from inheriting his dead wife’s £4.4m estate after a judge ruled he drowned her.
The body of Paula Leeson, from Greater Manchester, was found in a 4ft-deep pool at a cottage in Denmark, at which she was staying with her husband Donald McPherson in 2017.
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During a 2021 trial, the judge directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict due to insufficient evidence, saying the prosecution case was built on circumstantial evidence.
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His previous wife and their child died in a house fire.
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Her family wanted the judge to rule - using the civil standard of a balance of probabilities - that Mr McPherson unlawfully killed her.
Mr McPherson had taken out several secret life insurance policies on his wife, worth about £3.5m, before her death, the court heard.
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In a statement, Ms Leeson’s family said they wanted Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service to reopen the investigation.
They described him as “cowardly” for not appearing in court and said he had established a new persona as Rob Jones before Ms Leeson’s death in preparation for the aftermath.
“He is an extremely dangerous individual, and we do not wish any other person or family to experience the pain we have gone through and will continue to endure from Paula’s loss.”
Drowned millionaire killed by husband - judge
The body of Paula Leeson, from Greater Manchester, was found in a 4ft-deep pool at a cottage in Denmark, at which she was staying with her husband Donald McPherson in 2017.
[...]
During a 2021 trial, the judge directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict due to insufficient evidence, saying the prosecution case was built on circumstantial evidence.
[...]
His previous wife and their child died in a house fire.
[...]
Her family wanted the judge to rule - using the civil standard of a balance of probabilities - that Mr McPherson unlawfully killed her.
Mr McPherson had taken out several secret life insurance policies on his wife, worth about £3.5m, before her death, the court heard.
[...]
In a statement, Ms Leeson’s family said they wanted Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service to reopen the investigation.
They described him as “cowardly” for not appearing in court and said he had established a new persona as Rob Jones before Ms Leeson’s death in preparation for the aftermath.
“He is an extremely dangerous individual, and we do not wish any other person or family to experience the pain we have gone through and will continue to endure from Paula’s loss.”
Drowned millionaire killed by husband - judge
