Nine-year-old British murder case in Denmark revived

A British coroner has reopened a nine-year-old case, concluding that a man acquitted of his wife's murder in Denmark was in fact responsible for her death. Alison Mutch, a coroner in Manchester South, stated that Donald McPherson killed his wife, Paula Leeson, during a holiday in Denmark in 2017.

McPherson had been charged with murder in the UK, but a judge dismissed the case in 2021 due to insufficient evidence. During the proceedings, it emerged that McPherson had taken out life insurance policies worth approximately 3.5 million pounds (nearly 31 million Danish kroner) on his wife shortly before her death. He also had a history of fraud convictions in Germany and other countries, with debts totaling nearly 96 million Danish kroner.

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Her death occurred because her husband compressed her neck, causing her to lose consciousness, after which her body entered the pool, causing her to drown – all to gain financial benefit from her death.

While forensic experts could not rule out an accidental drowning in the swimming pool, Mutch concluded that McPherson, who was heavily in debt, was the sole beneficiary of his wife's death. "Her death occurred because her husband compressed her neck, causing her to lose consciousness, after which her body entered the pool, causing her to drown – all to gain financial benefit from her death," Mutch stated.

Despite the coroner's strong conviction, the murder case cannot be retried in Denmark unless new, decisive evidence emerges. Danish police had initially ruled the death a tragic accident in December 2017. However, British police revived the case in 2018, with Danish authorities assisting the investigation. Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Clegg of Greater Manchester Police asserted that there is "no doubt that this was a murder case" and that McPherson, who resides in New Zealand, should serve a life sentence.

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There is no doubt that this was a murder case.