Mystery as ‘multiple bodies' found in woods

Telegraph

25-07-2025

Multiple dead bodies have been found in woodland in Cornwall, a police and crime commissioner has claimed.
Devon and Cornwall Police have been searching Paramoor Woods, near Sticker, since the body of missing man Daniel Coleman was found there earlier this month.
On Friday, Alison Hernandez, the police and crime commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, said multiple bodies had been found at the site.
She added that officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) and other police forces were involved in the investigation.
However, the claims were denied by Det Supt Jon Bancroft, of Devon and Cornwall Police, who said only one body had been found in the woodland.
Ms Hernandez told a policing panel: 'We've got a huge forensic tent down there, lots of forensics officers. Obviously, we've found dead bodies in that wood.
'We're just trying to establish how many there may be at this point in time and whether we are aware of who they are or what might have happened to them. So we also don't know how long they may have been there, some of them.'
'Some of the elements of that operation I can't speak about, but some of the things are very obvious.
'As you know, there is a large crime scene that has been identified in Cornwall that is requiring a lot of effort to even scene guard the area.
'The level of expertise, some of the mutual aid we've brought in, is expertise in specific types of investigations that we didn't have. The National Crime Agency is supporting the organisation at the moment.
'I want to thank all the other forces that are coming in at a very busy time for themselves to offer mutual aid. It's largely investigative mutual aid that we've brought in. Until some of those elements have been established of exactly what we're dealing with there, it will be made public at that time.'
But Det Supt Bancroft rebutted the claims, saying: 'I can categorically state that we have recovered remains believed to be those of Daniel Coleman only from an area of woodland in Sticker. No other remains have been located at this scene to date.
'It is imperative that we continue to respect the integrity of the formal court process and ensure the administration of justice is not compromised in any way. We hope members of the public understand that, for this reason, we cannot comment further on the defendant or the investigation.'
James Desborough, 39, was charged with the murder of Coleman earlier this month and is due to appear before Truro Crown Court on Aug 8. It is alleged that Coleman, from St Austell, was killed between June 2 and July 7. He went missing on June 1.
A large crime scene was in place at the woodland on Friday. According to Cornwall Live, the police force has put private security, a 'temporary air exclusion zone' and a large cordon in place to protect the scene.
An area was also cordoned off by red tape, which is usually used to demarcate dangerous or high-risk scenes that need to be preserved.
However, an officer from Staffordshire Police told Cornwall Live that the tape was in place to mark an area for 'officers' training'. A spokesman for Staffordshire Police confirmed that its officers were assisting the investigation.
West Mercia Police previously confirmed that its officers are also assisting at the scene.
Det Supt Kev Till, of Devon and Cornwall Police, has also said Home Office-approved scientists and NCA experts were involved in the investigation.
Police are also investigating the discovery of the body of Lee Hockey, 50, who was found in woodland between Truro and Probus on July 1.
A third murder inquiry is under way following a fatal fire at a residential property in Newquay on July 22.
The body of a man in his 30s was found at the property, and a 33-year-old man from Bolton was arrested on suspicion of murder.