A 39-year-old man has been charged with murder following the death of a fellow inmate at HMP Exeter in Devon. James Desborough, from Cornwall, is accused of killing 65-year-old Steven Kempster, who was found dead in his cell early Monday morning.
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that officers received a report from the prison at around 5.40am on Monday, 15 September, stating that Mr Kempster had been discovered deceased. His next of kin have been informed.
Desborough remains in police custody and is scheduled to appear before Exeter Magistrates' Court on Thursday. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised the charge, with senior crown prosecutor Helen Phillips stating that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to proceed.
HMP Exeter, a Category B men's prison which opened in 1853, has a capacity of approximately 561 inmates. The investigation was conducted jointly by Devon and Cornwall Police and the CPS.
