Serial killer given whole-life order for murdering two men

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.

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

Speaking 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.

"We don't believe there is a link at this time, but I said it's an ongoing investigation," she 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.

A jury at Winchester Crown Court heard he 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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