Double murder accused strangled his Devon cellmate while awaiting trial
James Desborough, charged with murdering two men and hiding their remains in Cornish woodland, strangled his cellmate in prison before trial.
A jury at Winchester Crown Court heard on Monday that James Desborough, 40, accused of killing Claudio Aquilino and Daniel Coleman and concealing parts of their bodies in dense undergrowth near his cabin close to St Austell, had previously been found guilty of murdering a man named Steven Kempster in a Devon prison.
In agreed facts read to the jury, prosecutor Ahmed Hossain stated that on 27 March 2026, Desborough was convicted of murdering Steven Kempster. The facts were that on 15 September 2025, while on remand for the current allegations, Desborough murdered Kempster, with whom he shared a cell at HMP Exeter, by strangulation.
The jury heard that after killing Aquilino and Coleman, Desborough allegedly accessed their bank accounts and attempted to cover his tracks by making it appear one had gone to London and the other was walking a long-distance trail.
Police spent five months searching the woods around Desborough's cabin, discovering burnt bone fragments believed to belong to Aquilino in a stream. Parts of Coleman's body, including his torso, legs, and feet, were found in a shallow grave nearby, with an axe hanging from a nearby tree.
Hossain told the jury that Desborough was present during some police searches and, while chatting to a forensic biologist, remarked that he “particularly enjoyed the dismemberment scenes” in the TV show Dexter.
The agreed facts noted that both victims suffered from mental health issues. Aquilino, 57, had been a target of intimidation and harassment he believed racially motivated, feeling safer homeless and living in a tent. Coleman, 43, had mental health problems after being kidnapped at age 13 and stabbed.
The court heard that all three men lived together for a time at homeless accommodation in Newquay for people with addiction problems. The prosecution alleges that Aquilino and Coleman were last seen alive with Desborough, and police began searching the woods last July.
Jurors were told that the previous month, Desborough had repeatedly searched for details about cosmetic surgery in Thailand and airports there. Following a review of handwritten notes found in his cabin, police also investigated an email address associated with a private cosmetic surgery clinic.
The jury was shown images of knives, saws, and axes found in and around Desborough's cabin, along with a picture of a ghillie suit hanging outside his home.
Desborough denies murdering Aquilino and Coleman between April and July last year. He has admitted preventing their lawful burial. The trial continues.
