Paula Leeson’s death in June 2017 at a remote holiday home in Denmark initially appeared to be a tragic accident, but ongoing investigations and court rulings have painted a far more complex and troubling picture. Paula, aged 47 and a mother of one from Sale, Greater Manchester, was found drowned in the swimming pool of the villa she was staying at with her husband, Donald McPherson. While McPherson claimed he had discovered Paula unconscious in the pool, his account was riddled with inconsistencies that led to the collapse of his 2021 murder trial.
McPherson’s initial defence—that Paula accidentally fell or jumped into the pool—was accepted by the jury after a Danish pathologist could not definitively rule out an accidental death. However, a 2023 civil trial brought by Paula’s family concluded that McPherson had unlawfully killed her, motivated by a plan to claim life insurance policies totalling £4.4 million that he had secretly taken out. Ruling on the civil case, Mr Justice Richard Smith found it “clearly more likely” that McPherson strangled Paula before submerging her in the pool. Despite this, McPherson was cleared of murder in the criminal trial because the standard of proof required in criminal courts is higher than in civil courts.
The Leeson family’s legal victory prevented McPherson from inheriting Paula’s estate, instead securing that her fortune would pass to her son from a previous marriage. But Paula’s relatives, supported by McPherson’s own family in New Zealand, have called for prosecutors to reconsider criminal charges in light of “new and compelling” evidence. The Crown Prosecution Service is currently reviewing these developments as an inquest into Paula’s death is due to begin shortly.
Donald McPherson, whose real name is Alexander James Lang, has a long history of deception and fraud spanning multiple countries. Born in New Zealand in the 1960s to a loving family, he reinvented himself numerous times under different aliases. By his early twenties, he had accumulated more than two dozen criminal convictions for fraud. He moved to London around 1996, falsely claiming to be a successful property developer, and later secured work in the banking sector in Germany. There, he participated in an audacious £12 million theft from Commerzbank accounts, involving organised crime syndicates and leading to his imprisonment in Germany.
McPherson’s personal life has been marked by tragedy and suspicion. His previous wife, Ira Kulppi, and their four-year-old daughter died in Australia under harrowing circumstances in 2006 when Ira apparently set a fire in their home. McPherson served time in prison abroad and later returned to New Zealand before resurfacing in the UK, where he met Paula Leeson through family business connections in 2013.
The Leeson family voiced early concerns about McPherson’s character and motives. Paula’s father, Willy Leeson, recalled that McPherson appeared “from nowhere” and was physically cold towards Paula. Paula’s mother, Betty, said the family refrained from criticising him for Paula’s sake, noting that Paula would become defensive if anyone did. Despite McPherson’s ominous background, Paula married him in June 2014 at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire. Footage from the wedding shows Paula’s evident happiness contrasted with McPherson’s forced smile and apparent emotional detachment.
Behind the scenes, McPherson had already begun preparing for Paula’s death by taking out multiple life insurance policies and forging documents to control her finances. His deceit extended to fabricating stories about his past, including claims that he had been abandoned as a baby and raised in foster care, whereas records show he was raised by his parents in New Zealand. Even members of his own family have spoken out about his manipulative and dangerous nature. One aunt described him as a “psychopath” and warned of the risk he posed to others, while his grandmother labelled him “creepy” and expressed unease around him since childhood.
Following Paula’s death, McPherson rapidly moved on, beginning to date online within days and relocating to New Zealand with his new partner after his trial. His current whereabouts remain unknown, and family members have urged the authorities to locate him and bring him to justice.
A new Channel 5 documentary, The Drowning of Paula Leeson, set to air soon, will explore the full extent of McPherson’s crimes, including his decades-long history of fraud, his involvement in criminal enterprises, and the tragic circumstances of Paula’s death.
Paula’s brother, Neville Leeson, has vowed to continue seeking justice, stating in 2021, “If McPherson thinks he’s going to be rid of us then he’s much mistaken.” With renewed calls for the criminal case to be reopened and cooperation from McPherson’s family members, the case remains active as investigators and prosecutors assess the fresh evidence. The Leeson family’s fight highlights complexities in resolving crimes where evidence spans multiple jurisdictions and where past deceptions cloud the truth behind devastating events.
Source: Noah Wire Services