A man who murdered a pensioner who used to teach at one of the UK’s most exclusive schools has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 22 years.
Paul McNaughton, 29, admitted killing Peter Coshan, 75, in a flat in Leith in August 2022 after he used a catfishing scam that involved a fake profile on a dating site to lure him to the address.
Coshan, who had taught biology at Fettes College, a private school in Edinburgh that educated Tony Blair, first met McNaughton online in 2021. McNaughton then stole thousands of pounds from Coshan after gaining access to his bank accounts.
When Coshan discovered the thefts, he threatened to go to the police unless McNaughton provided him with free sexual favours. McNaughton said he killed the retired teacher after becoming “fed up” with the situation.
After the killing, McNaughton, along with his flatmate Paul Black, 65, hid the pensioner’s body for up to four days in a suitcase. They then drove it to a layby on the A696 between Otterburn and Belsay in Northumberland, where they dumped it next to a wall.
McNaughton admitted to murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice in 2023 before Black’s trial. On Monday at Glasgow high court, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that he serve a minimum of 22 years behind bars.
Black was cleared of murder after a trial at the high court in Edinburgh in May, with the jury returning a not proven verdict.
During the trial, Black admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice. He was sentenced to five and a half years in prison.
Judge Lord Scott said it had been made clear to him during Black’s trial that Coshan was “a loved brother, uncle and friend” to those who knew him.
He noted that Coshan had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s in his latter years and told McNaughton he had exploited the former teacher’s deteriorating health “before you decided he must die”.
Scott went on to discuss how McNaughton then helped himself to bank cards belonging to Coshan and embarked on a spending spree during which he “siphoned off more of his money”.
“Having exploited Peter Coshan in life, you continued to do so in his death,” he told McNaughton.
Neither McNaughton nor Black showed any emotion as they were led out from the dock in handcuffs.
Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: “This was a callous and brutal murder of an elderly man who was quietly enjoying his retirement.
“Peter was loved by his family and friends in the local community. He had a positive impact on the lives of so many people. But his own life was cut short by the despicable actions of Paul McNaughton.”
In a statement issued through police at the end of the trial, Coshan’s family said they remained horrified that anybody could have “treated a vulnerable 75-year-old in such a despicable manner”.
They said: “Our life will never be the same and we will always ask the question: what if? There is, of course, no answer to what if, as events have overtaken us and there is no going back in time. However, we have happy memories of Peter and can reflect on the positive impact he had on so many people’s lives.”