A fan of TV serial killer Dexter murdered two men he met at a residence for homeless people before dismembering and nd nu their bodies in an area of Cornish woodland and going on to steal their money, a court has heard.
James Desborough is accused of murdering Claudio Aquilino, 57, on a date between April 17 and July 7 last year and Daniel Coleman, 43, between June 2 and July 7 last year.
He has previously pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful burial of the two men’s bodies, Winchester Crown Court was told.
Ahmed Hossain KC, prosecuting, told the court police discovered 1,900 burned bone fragments believed to be from the body of Mr Aquilino in Paramoor Woods, Sticker, where Desborough lived in a cabin.
Parts of Mr Coleman’s dismembered body, including his torso, legs and feet, were found in a shallow grave nearby, the prosecutor said.
Mr Hossain said: “In 2025, James Desborough murdered Daniel Coleman and Claudio Aquilino.
“Parts of their dismembered bodies were found by police search teams and scientists when searching an area of woodland which was where James Desborough lived.
“That area was called Paramoor Woods, near a village called Sticker which is in Cornwall.
“Both of these men, Daniel Coleman and Claudio Aquilino, had lived with Mr Desborough at a place called Sandy Lodge, which was a multi-occupancy residence in Newquay.
“That place housed people who were often homeless or suffered with addiction issues and these two men were last seen alive in the company of James Desborough.
“After each of them disappeared, their bank accounts were accessed and their money was spent by James Desborough.
“He killed them, he dismembered their bodies, he attempted to burn and bury their remains to conceal what he had done, and then used their money whilst at the same time lying to those around him about where they had gone.”
Mr Hossain said that Craig Cudmore, a fellow resident of Sandy Lodge, told police that Desborough had told him that he “particularly enjoyed the dismemberment scenes” in the television programme Dexter.
The prosecutor said: “That is a series which involves scenes of dismemberment and disposal of bodies.
“There are many, many people who are fans of the television programme Dexter but, on the behalf of the prosecution, when you consider that comment by Mr Desborough together with the fact that two dismembered bodies were found on his land, that the comment takes on a particular significance.”
The defendant, of Old Oak Woods, Lower Sticker, Cornwall, who sat in the dock wearing a grey T-shirt with a beard and glasses, denies the charges and the trial continues.
