Overview
- Paul Pressland was found not guilty of strangling his estranged wife after a jury at Salisbury Crown Court deliberated for one hour on 17 September 2026.
- The prosecution told jurors that Pressland punched, pinned and squeezed his wife’s neck during a December 1, 2024 argument at their £3m Poole home.
- Pressland denied the allegation, told the court he acted in self-defence, and suggested the red marks on his wife's neck could have come from a wetsuit she wore for a charity swim that day.
- The trial focused on conflicting accounts and physical marks that each side explained differently, and the verdict reflects the jury's view that guilt was not proved beyond reasonable doubt.
- The criminal case has closed with an acquittal but the couple's wider divorce, financial demands and private disputes remain unresolved and could be pursued in other forums.