Two Jailed for Hiding Body in Tragic Penzance Death
Blaze Fisher and Clayton Hawkes have been locked up for perverting the course of justice in the death of 32-year-old Cecilia Seddon in Penzance, April 2018. The two men covered up Cecilia’s death by concealing her body.
Guilty Verdicts and Sentencing
- Blaze Fisher, 24, from Redruth, admitted guilt just before his trial on 7 December.
- Clayton Hawkes, 52, from Hayle, denied charges but was found guilty after a four-day trial at Truro Crown Court on 11 December.
- Hawkes also convicted of injecting heroin and cocaine into Cecilia and another man.
- Hawkes received 11 years in prison; Fisher was sentenced to 3 years and 7 months at Exeter Crown Court on 17 December.
The Grim Discovery and Investigation
Cecilia’s body was found at a house on Penare Road, Penzance, on 19 April 2018. She was last seen alive at a party at the property on 13 April.
Police had visited the address on 18 April for an unrelated issue but missed discovering her concealed body. A complaint against Devon & Cornwall Police about the missed discovery was investigated and dismissed by both the force and the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
The cause of Cecilia’s death remains unclear, though toxicology revealed fatal levels of cocaine and heroin. The Major Crime Investigation Team arrested Fisher, Hawkes, and a 27-year-old woman on suspicion of murder after a lengthy probe.
Family and Authorities React
“Cecilia was the light in the room, all smiles and a heart of gold,” said her family. “No one deserves to be treated with such disregard and with so little respect in death. When they decided to hide Cecilia, they changed everything. To lose her was pain enough, but hiding Cecilia prolonged this limbo state of grief. It is totally soul destroying to think that people can be so cruel.”
Detective Inspector Steve Hambly welcomed the verdict: “We hope it represents some limited closure to Cecilia’s family. She was treated with no respect by those she considered friends who could have helped her or reported her death early. We may never know exactly why she died, as those who might know have frustrated the enquiry.”
Senior Crown Prosecutor Ann Hampshire added: “Concealing Cecilia’s body delayed the investigation and possibly destroyed vital evidence. Hawkes was also convicted of injecting heroin and cocaine into Cecilia and another man. Thanks to the police’s painstaking work, we built a strong case that led to these convictions.”
