💔 Double Killer Convicted After Remains Of Vulnerable Men Discovered Close To His Remote Cornwall Cabin – Shocking Court Verdict Delivered
A 40-year-old man has been found guilty of murdering two men he once lived with at a homeless residence in Cornwall, after their remains were discovered near a woodland cabin.
James Desborough was convicted at Winchester Crown Court of the murders of Daniel Coleman, 43, and Claudio Aquilino, 57. The pair had met Desborough while staying at Sandy Lodge in Newquay, accommodation for people experiencing homelessness or addiction issues. Desborough later lived in a cabin in Paramoor Woods near Sticker.
Prosecutors told the jury that Desborough killed the two men in separate incidents between April and July 2025, then took steps to conceal what had happened and used their money. He had already pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful burial of both victims. Jurors also heard that Desborough was a fan of the television series Dexter and had made comments about certain scenes in the show.
While awaiting trial for these killings, Desborough was separately convicted of murdering his 65-year-old cellmate, Steven Kempster, at HMP Exeter. That conviction related to an incident in September 2025.
The court was told that Desborough had sent messages describing himself in aggressive terms around the time one of the men went missing. Notes recovered from the cabin area included references to being a killer and plans that appeared linked to leaving the country. Police searches of the woodland recovered remains linked to both victims.
Desborough denied the two murders, claiming at one point that he had found the men already dead on his land. The jury rejected that account and returned guilty verdicts after a trial that lasted several weeks. He is due to be sentenced at a later date.
Detective comments following the verdict emphasised the vulnerability of the victims, both of whom had trusted Desborough as a friend while dealing with significant personal challenges. The investigation involved extensive forensic work across the woodland site and financial inquiries that helped establish a timeline after the men were last seen alive.
The case has drawn attention to the risks faced by people living in temporary or unstable housing and the difficulties of tracking individuals who move between hostels, tents and informal woodland camps. Both Coleman and Aquilino had limited contact with family and support services in the weeks before they disappeared.
Desborough’s conviction for the three murders means he faces a lengthy prison sentence. The families of the victims have been supported by specialist officers throughout the investigation and court process. Police have described the outcome as the result of determined work by detectives, forensic teams and partner agencies who pieced together the movements of three men living on the margins of society in Cornwall.
Further details of the sentencing hearing will be reported when the court reconvenes.