Man cleared of murdering retired Fettes teacher

Dr Peter Coshan, 75, was killed in August 2022

A man has been cleared of murdering a retired biology teacher in Edinburgh after a jury found the case against him not proven.

Paul Black, 65, was accused of killing former Fettes teacher Peter Coshan, 75, with his flatmate Paul McNaughton in August 2022.

McNaughton, 29, pled guilty to the murder last year but Black was cleared following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

However he was found guilty of attempting to defeat the ends of justice in helping McNaughton cover up the crime by leaving Dr Coshan's body by a roadside in Northumberland.

McNaughton had previously accessed Dr Coshan’s online banking passwords on a visit to his home.

The trial heard McNaughton was a sex worker who received money from the former teacher for performing sexual favours.

But the court heard after Dr Coshan stopped giving McNaughton money he lured the retired teacher to a ground floor flat on Seafield Road.

The killer used the Gaydar "hook up" app and posed as a man named David.

When Dr Coshan arrived at the property on 11 August 2022 he was murdered by McNaughton who then hid his body under a bed for two days.

Black was "infatuated" with McNaughton after first meeting him 10 years ago at a gay bar in Edinburgh but admitted he was "scared" of him.

Following the killing, the pair spent Dr Coshan’s money on a McDonald’s meal, visited a funfair in Fife and bought a car which they used to transport his body to England.

They returned to a layby on the A696, between Otterburn and Belsay, the following night with shovels and planned to dig a grave but the ground was too hard.

Dr Coshan's body was then left at a wall, where it remained for about a month before being discovered by police.

Paul McNaughton pled guilty to Dr Coshan's murder last year

Worried family members had contacted officers about the ex-teacher's whereabouts after becoming suspicious about language used in text exchanges.

It later emerged McNaughton had taken his victim’s phone after killing him and had been replying to messages sent to the handset.

McNaughton pleaded guilty to murder last year but claimed Black – who he knew as Joe Hillary – had carried out the killing.

On Friday jurors acquitted Black of murdering Dr Coshan after returning a majority not proven verdict.

But they found him guilty of assisting McNaughton in hiding his crime.

Judge Lord Scott remanded Black in custody and told him to expect a "significant" custodial sentence for his role.

He also told McNaughton that he had to decide what to impose for the punishment part of the life sentence, the minimum term that he has to serve before he is eligible apply for parole.

The pair will be sentenced on 17 June.

Dr Coshan taught at Fettes College for more than 30 years

Dr Coshan taught at the prestigious Edinburgh public school - which counts former prime minister Tony Blair among its former pupils - from 1972 until his retirement in 2005.

His family described the months since his death as a "nightmare" and said McNaughton "displayed the very worst of human nature".

In a statement, released through Police Scotland, they said: "We remain horrified that anybody could have treated a vulnerable 75-year-old in such a despicable manner.

"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."

Dr Coshan inspired ex-Fettes pupil Barbara Graham to pursue a career in medical research

Barbara Graham was one of Dr Coshan’s pupils at Fettes.

Inspired by her former teacher, whom she knew as "Doc Cosh", she pursued a career in medical research.

She said fellow Old Fettesians had reacted with "shock and sadness" over his death and remembered him as "gentle and quiet, but with a good sense of humour".

Ms Graham said: "He cared enormously about how his former pupils did.

"He was a fantastic teacher and a very kind and gentle man. He had beautiful manners. He treated everyone very respectfully and he was inspirational, I would say, to me as a teacher.

"I would like him to be remembered as a kind, funny man who was a great teacher and was also fun to be with."