Man admits murdering ex-Fettes College teacher
- Published
Peter Coshan was last seen in Edinburgh on 11 August, 2022
A man has admitted murdering a retired private school teacher and then hiding his body in a suitcase more than 80 miles away.
Paul McNaughton killed Peter Coshan, 75, at a flat in Leith, Edinburgh, on 11 or 12 August last year.
The body of the former Fettes College biology teacher was discovered weeks later in Northumberland after he was reported missing.
McNaughton, 28, appeared for a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.
His KC John Scullion said he was pleading guilty to charges of murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
McNaughton was remanded in custody and will be sentenced next year.
He was joined in the dock by 64 year-old Paul Black, who pled not guilty to the same charges.
Mr Black will now stand trial next May and McNaughton will be sentenced at the conclusion of that case.
Inflicted injuries
The murder charge states McNaughton inflicted injury or injuries on Dr Coshan by means unknown.
The pensioner, of the capital's Stockbridge, is said to have bled and that McNaughton struggled with him.
The indictment further states the killer had previously shown "ill will" towards Dr Coshan.
Dr Coshan's body is initially said to have been hidden at an unknown location in Edinburgh.
Calls and texts to his family and a friend were made pretending to be him.
A car was purchased and cameras inside it disconnected.
The indictment said that an initial drive from Edinburgh to Northumberland was made overnight on 14 or 15 August.
The hidden body of Dr Coshan was then collected from Edinburgh, put in a suitcase and placed in the boot of the car.
A journey was made to a lay-by between Otterburn and Belsay in Northumberland.
The case and body were removed, and attempts were made to dig a makeshift grave but the ex-teacher was eventually hidden next to a wall and the case disposed of.
McNaughton faced a number of other accusations which prosecutors accepted not guilty pleas for.
These included a fraud claim that, in the weeks before the murder, contact had been made with Dr Coshan via different apps.
Dr Coshan taught at the prestigious private school from 1972 until his retirement in 2005.
He joined a year after former prime minister Tony Blair attended the school, from 1966 to 1971.