A High Court judge has ruled that Donald McPherson, also known as Alexander James Lang, unlawfully killed his wife, heiress Paula Leeson, to gain access to her £4.4 million estate, as reported by The Telegraph.
The ruling, delivered by Mr Justice Richard Smith in Manchester, prevents McPherson from inheriting her fortune.
Leeson, 47, was found dead in a swimming pool during a 2017 holiday in Denmark, arranged by her husband. Despite being cleared of murder during a 2021 criminal trial, where the case was dismissed due to lack of evidence, a civil case brought by Leeson’s family led to the latest verdict.
During the original trial, McPherson, a property developer, was accused of planning her death for financial gain. He had taken out seven life insurance policies in her name and was set to inherit her stake in the family’s construction business. Three days into their trip, Leeson drowned in the cottage’s indoor pool, despite her known dislike of swimming. Initially, Danish authorities did not treat the death as suspicious, but their investigation intensified after reviewing the couple’s finances.
Though McPherson was formally cleared of the murder charge in 2021, with the jury told that her injuries could have been accidental, the family pursued civil action to prevent him from benefiting from her death.
In his ruling, Mr Justice Smith stated that McPherson had killed his wife by compressing her neck in an armlock, rendering her unconscious and allowing her to drown. He described McPherson’s actions as motivated by money and noted that dishonesty was a pervasive feature of his life.
Leeson’s father, brother, and son were present in court as the judge delivered the final verdict, offering some closure to the family.
