Husband guilty of wife's unlawful killing blocked from her £4.4m fortune
Daily Express|September 07, 2024
A SERIAL fraudster cleared of murdering his wife has been blocked from inheriting her £4.4million estate after a second judge ruled he did actually drown her.
Chris Riches
Husband guilty of wife's unlawful killing blocked from her £4.4m fortune

"Serial liar" Donald McPherson, 51, was cleared of killing wife Paula Leeson, 47, after a jury was directed halfway through his trial in 2021, to the devastation of her family.

That Manchester Crown Court trial heard Paula drowned in a pool at a holiday cottage booked by McPherson in Denmark in 2017 after he took out life insurance policies on her worth almost £4million.

Paula's family later brought proceedings against McPherson at Manchester Civil Courts of Justice to stop him getting her estate.

Oblivious

And yesterday Mr Justice Richard Smith ruled that on the balance of probability he had murdered his wife.

The senior judge said: "He 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.

This story is from the September 07, 2024 edition of Daily Express.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the September 07, 2024 edition of Daily Express.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM DAILY EXPRESSView All
AI Fayed Abuse Probe: Police Investigating More Than 5 People Over Enabling Claims
Daily Express

AI Fayed Abuse Probe: Police Investigating More Than 5 People Over Enabling Claims

A POLICE investigation has been launched into "more than five people" who may have helped former Harrods boss Mohamed AI Fayed in his alleged campaign of sexual abuse.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 28, 2024
LEEDS SPEED IT UP
Daily Express

LEEDS SPEED IT UP

A top finish to remember icon

time-read
1 min  |
November 28, 2024
Stokes sees value in long game after skipping IPL
Daily Express

Stokes sees value in long game after skipping IPL

BEN STOKES admits he is approaching the home straight in \"the back end of my career\" after opting to skip a big payday in the Indian Premier League.

time-read
1 min  |
November 28, 2024
Bazball now approaching moment of truth
Daily Express

Bazball now approaching moment of truth

COOK BELIEVES NEXT YEAR IS PIVOTAL FOR RISKY STYLE

time-read
2 mins  |
November 28, 2024
Girl Guides to earn badges by using AI
Daily Express

Girl Guides to earn badges by using AI

GIRL Guides aged four to 18 will take part in artificial intelligence-based activities and badges, backed by Google, to help them gain digital skills.

time-read
1 min  |
November 28, 2024
'Game-changer' injection fights asthma attacks
Daily Express

'Game-changer' injection fights asthma attacks

First breakthrough in 50 years

time-read
1 min  |
November 28, 2024
Ruth Langsford jets off to jungle
Daily Express

Ruth Langsford jets off to jungle

RUTH Langsford has flown down under to join I'm A Celebrity's spin-off show at the end of a \"tough year\" for the presenter.

time-read
1 min  |
November 28, 2024
Conall comes barrelling in
Daily Express

Conall comes barrelling in

UK flooded again by third named storm of season

time-read
2 mins  |
November 28, 2024
"Transformative' scanner to aid faster, earlier diagnoses
Daily Express

"Transformative' scanner to aid faster, earlier diagnoses

A SCANNER that will speed up treatment for thousands of patients was unveiled yesterday by Science Secretary Peter Kyle.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 28, 2024
Heading home in the ruins
Daily Express

Heading home in the ruins

THOUSANDS of families started to head home to southern Lebanon yesterday on the first day of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. Civilians flooded back into the former war zone.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 28, 2024