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James Desborough given whole life order for murdering two men in Cornwall

BBC Published Jul 29, 2026 Reviewed Jul 29, 2026 ✓ Reviewed by citations.press editors
James Desborough given whole life order for murdering two men in Cornwall
James Desborough was given a whole life prison sentence with no chance of parole for the murder of Claudio Aquilino, 57, and Daniel Coleman, 43, in Cornwall.
2 victims · Claudio Aquilino and Daniel Coleman
James Desborough was already serving a minimum of 19 years for the murder of his prison cellmate Steven Kempster at HMP Exeter.
at least 19 years · minimum prison term
James Desborough was sentenced to five years on each count of preventing the lawful burial of Claudio Aquilino and Daniel Coleman.
5 years · additional sentence for preventing lawful burial
The remains of Daniel Coleman and Claudio Aquilino were found in Cornish woodland in Sticker, where James Desborough owned a cabin.
Devon and Cornwall Police are reviewing four unexplained deaths at Sandy Lodge homeless shelter, including two men and two women.
4 deaths · unexplained deaths at Sandy Lodge

Serial killer James Desborough has been given a whole life prison sentence with no chance of parole - as police revealed they are looking into four unexplained deaths at the homeless shelter that housed him.

Desborough, already serving a minimum of 19 years for the murder of his prison cellmate, was given the whole life tariff for killing 57-year-old Claudio Aquilino and Daniel Coleman, 43, in Cornwall.

Aquilino and Coleman met Desborough at Newquay's Sandy Lodge homeless shelter, where police are now reviewing the unexplained deaths of two other men and two women.

Sentencing, Mr Justice Pushpinder Saini described Desborough as "a highly dangerous individual who had no regard for the life of those you think are worthless".

Desborough befriended the two vulnerable men and used "extreme violence" on both of them, before dismembering and concealing their bodies, the judge said.

The judge said the offences had an exceptionally high level of seriousness and it was rare to impose such a sentence with no chance of parole.

He was also sentenced to five years on each count of preventing lawful burial of Aquilino and Coleman.

In victim impact statements read out in court, Coleman and Aquilino's families spoke of their anguish and torture imagining the pain and fear the men suffered.

Coleman's brother, Tony Nye, said there "weren't enough words in the English language" to describe the pain and suffering Desborough had caused his family.

"You have taken from this world my big brother in the most disgusting and horrific way," he said.

"The world will see you for the vile degenerate coward you are. There will be no forgiveness for you in this world or the next."

His mother, Sandra Coleman, said: "You took my firstborn son. You destroyed any hope of us coming together as a family.

"You have given me a life sentence of pain, despair, anxiety and hopelessness."

Speaking earlier about the review of the four unexplained deaths, Det Supt Rachael Bentley, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "As a major crime investigation team we were informed by the coroner's officer for His Majesty's Coroner that there were four deaths at Sandy Lodge.

"As part of the investigation, a detective inspector, separate to the investigation but within major crime, did a review of those deaths, and that included commissioning some more forensic work, some CCTV, and statements."

Inquiries were ongoing and Desborough was "not a suspect at this time", Bentley said.

She said police attended each of the deaths at Sandy Lodge and inquiries suggested natural causes but coronial investigations were paused when Desborough was arrested for murder.

The jury at Winchester Crown Court heard Desborough dismembered his victims' bodies, tried to burn their remains and hid them in woodland in Sticker where he owned a cabin.

Closing the case to the jury, Ahmed Hossain KC, said Desborough was capable of switching to "very serious violence".

Bentley described the killings as "callous and cold-blooded", as "both men were vulnerable and trusted James Desborough as their friend" before he brutally murdered them and "savagely desecrated their bodies".

While on remand he was also convicted of murdering his cellmate Steven Kempster at HMP Exeter after a trial in March.

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