CCTV captured the moment that a sex worker calmly bought two shovels from a hardware store just days after he murdered a vulnerable pensioner.
Paul McNaughton, who was dubbed the 'Gaydar Killer' after meeting Peter Coshan, 75, on the hook-up app, has been jailed for life. In the chilling clip, the 29-year-old could be seen buying the tools after he hatched a plan to kill the retired teacher at a flat in Leith, Edinburgh.
McNaughton came up with the plot after being confronted by the pensioner who had discovered that he had stolen thousands of pounds from his bank account. It was reported that the pair met on the dating site in 2021, but when the ex-biology teacher found out about a “spending spree", he threatened McNaughton.
Mr Coshan handed McNaughton an ultimatum and said he would go to the police unless the 29-year-old gave him free sexual favours. McNaughton then decided to kill his victim after becoming fed-up" with the situation. As part of his plan, McNaughton pretended to be a man called David on a dating site so he could lure his victim to the property. It was reported that Mr Coshan was murdered at the flat on either August 11 or 12 2022.
Paul McNaughton purchased equipment so he could dump the body (The Crown Office)Following the killing, McNaughton, along with his flatmate Paul Black, 65, hid the pensioner’s body until about August 15, when they put it in a suitcase and drove it to a layby on the A696 between Otterburn and Belsay in Northumberland, where they dumped it next to a wall. Footage revealed that the pair bought McDonald's and visited a funfair with the victim's money, reports The Scottish Sun.
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McNaughton, who admitted murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice in 2023 before Black’s trial, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that he serve a minimum of 22 years behind bars when he was sentenced at Glasgow High Court on Monday. Black was cleared of murder following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in May, with the jury returning a not proven verdict. However, during the trial, he admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice and was sentenced to five and a half years for that.
Peter Coshan was brutally murdered in 2022 (PA)Judge Lord Scott said it was made “clear” to him during Black’s trial Mr Coshan was “a loved brother, uncle and friend” to those who knew him. He noted Mr 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”.
The judge said Mr Coshan “suffered further affront” through the pair loading his body into a suitcase and attempting to bury it in a lay-by. He noted a victim impact statement completed by Mr Coshan’s niece on his family’s behalf said his murder had had a “devastating” impact on them all.
Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), 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.
The killer ate McDonald's after killing the teacher (The Crown Office)"But his own life was cut short by the despicable actions of Paul McNaughton. He showed a cavalier disregard for his actions and will now serve a life sentence for his crimes.” She added: “Our thoughts remain with Peter’s friends and family who have waited patiently for justice to be served as they come to terms with today’s outcome.”
In a statement issued through police at the end of the trial, Mr Coshan’s family said they remain “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.”
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