Serial killer who dismembered victims also murdered cellmate over ‘snoring’

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The serial killer strangled Steven Kempster in the cell they shared at HMP in Exeter in September last year.

After murdering Mr Kempster in the middle of the night, Desborough claimed his cellmate must have died after falling out of bed.

Desborough had gone on trial at Exeter Crown Court in March accused of murdering the 65-year-old, who was frail and in poor health.

He was found guilty and in June was jailed for life by a judge and told to serve a minimum of 19 years’ imprisonment.

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Reporting restrictions prevented details of the case being published until the conclusion of his trial for the murders of Claudio Aquilino and Daniel Coleman.

He has now been convicted of all three murders, which were carried out over a five-month-period last year.

Ahmed Hossain KC, prosecuting, said Desborough had killed Mr Kempster only three days after they started sharing a cell.

“James Desborough was displeased at having to share a cell with Steven Kempster and told others on the wing about this,” he said.

“He cited Steven Kempster snoring and returning his cutlery unwashed as sources of irritation.

“You will hear that the night before the killing, James Desborough said that if Steven Kempster was to irritate him by snoring, he would kill him.”

The court heard Desborough alerted prison officers at 5.25am on September 15 and they found Mr Kempster on the floor.

Home Office pathologist Dr Deborah Cook concluded he died from compression of the neck.

Mr Hossain added: “James Desborough had attacked Steven Kempster in his cell, using such significant and maintained unlawful force on his neck that his life was extinguished.”

Desborough later told police he had found Mr Kempster lying on the floor and not breathing, and he had previously heard him making “gurgling” sounds.

“I just thought it was like a really old poorly guy, you know what I mean? …sometimes it sounded like it was gargling and then he sounds quite rough actually…,” Desborough said.

Prosecutors said Desborough’s DNA on Mr Kempster’s clothing suggested he had moved him to the floor from his bunk after prison staff had completed a cell check at 5 am.

Desborough, of Old Oak Woods, Lower Sticker, Cornwall, had denied murder and claimed in evidence Mr Kempster had sexually assaulted him.

Sean Brunton KC, defending, said Desborough had many positive attributes but now had “serious problems”.

“Mr Desborough’s situation is a rather perplexing one because for most of his life, or certainly for large parts of his life, he’s an intelligent, hardworking, physically fit man,” he said.

“He’s polite, he’s respectful, he’s easy to deal with, he’s respectful of your honour and the trial process.

“He’s been absolutely no difficulty whatsoever.

“He’s intelligent, lucid and he’s obviously had many experiences in his life, some of which have been good, but many obviously which have not been good.

“But something has caused Mr Desborough to really change from being a normal, bright, hardworking person, to a man who has serious problems, which he accepts.

“It is also a sad situation for Mr Desborough that a person who clearly has many attributes and in many ways had a normal life, has fallen so low.

“He expresses remorse for the situation that he has caused, he is sorry he behaved as he did.

“He accepts his situation, he accepts he lost control and he’s sorry for it.

“The reality is he wants to get on with serving this sentence and whatever else may come his way.”

Passing sentence, Judge James Patrick said Mr Kempster had long-standing health conditions which made his breathing difficult and meant he snored.

“He had the misfortune to be allocated a cell with you,” he said.

“You were the reverse. You were younger, more confident and stronger.

“Your cell mate irritated you so much that you asked to be moved. It is likely that would have happened if you had been more patient.

“As it is, you said that you would kill him if he snored again. Seemingly, he did, and so you did.

“Simply put, you squeezed the life out of him and left him for dead. It is the inevitable inference from what you had said that you strangled him as he slept.

“It was some hours before you alerted the authorities to what had happened.

“Only you know what happened in the run-up to the murder, but you have never given a consistent account.”

The judge rejected Desborough’s claims about being sexually assaulted.

“I am fortified in that because there is no suggestion that Mr Kempster had any history of sexual assault, and furthermore the evidence suggests that he was wary – perhaps even scared – of you,” the judge said.

“It would be out of character for him to assault you and foolhardy, particularly after you had assaulted him the day before he died.”