Serial killer James Desborough took on vulnerable homeless people

Coleman’s younger brother Tony Nye remembers him as “loving, caring, kind, friendly, funny … amazing singer, amazing cook.”

Despite the trauma and alcohol-related health problems that characterized much of Coleman’s life, he remained close to his family, especially his grandmother, who raised him.

“He was calling her every day, calling us,” Nye said.

But he stopped calling himself.

The court heard that Coleman had suffered significant trauma since childhood. Medical records show he was abducted and stabbed at age 13 before escaping from a second-story window.

As an adult, he was the victim of hit and runs and a number of other assaults, the court heard.

Coleman also ended up living at Sandy Lodge in Newquay.

Having lost his lodgings there, he later took up residence in Desborough’s land next to Stecker – just as Aquilino had before him.

Coleman was last seen alive on 3 June 2010 after spending the day drinking with Desborough in pubs in Truro and Falmouth.

The pair returned to Paramore Woods by bus and at 21:00 BST Coleman called his grandfather one last time.

Prosecutors believe Desborough killed him in the early hours of the next morning. They believe Aquilino has been dead for weeks.