£3.5m pay-out motive to heiress killing - court

Paula Leeson died while on holiday in Denmark in 2017

A wealthy heiress was killed by her husband so he could cash in life insurance policies, a court heard.

Paula Leeson, 47, died in a swimming pool in Denmark in 2017, while on holiday with her 50-year-old husband Donald McPherson.

Her family is attempting to have a judge rule Ms Leeson, from Sale in Greater Manchester, was unlawfully killed.

Mr McPherson has said his wife’s death was a “tragic accident”.

Lesley Anderson KC told Manchester Civil Courts of Justice it was an “acquisitive killing”.

The hearing heard Mr McPherson described as a “Walter Mitty” who had changed his name multiple times, and had 32 convictions in three countries.

Mr McPherson, who denied murder, had taken out “secret” life insurance policies on Ms Leeson worth £3.5 million.

Ms Leeson left behind an estate worth about £4.4m, which her family wants to stop Mr McPherson from benefiting from.

‘Walter Mitty’

Ms Anderson KC said: “The systematic setting up of policies was deliberate.

“This was in his mind since 2013.

“That’s why he’s planned Denmark.

“He has a propensity to commit offences and then try to move on.

“The number of lies goes beyond Walter Mitty territory.

“What you have is a consistent pattern of dishonesty in furtherance of a financially acquisitive objective and to protect himself when he needs to.”

After she died, he told police he had woken up in the holiday cottage in Denmark to find her face down in the shallow swimming pool.

‘Whirlwind romance’

Lawyers for the Leeson family argue to save herself from drowning she could simply have stood up in the 4 ft (1.2m) pool, so must have been choked before being put into the water unconscious.

Mr McPherson’s murder trial was dramatically halted in March 2021 by Mr Justice Goose, ruling there was insufficient evidence for jurors to safely convict as an accidental death could not be ruled out.

After he was acquitted, in a statement through his solicitors, Mr McPherson denied any involvement in his wife’s death, saying it was a “tragic accident”.

He is not present at the hearing and believed to be living in the South Pacific.

The hearing continues.

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