A man who murdered his pregnant partner, her two children, and another child has been given a whole-life prison sentence. Damien Bendall, 32, killed the four victims with a claw hammer at a house in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, in September 2021.
Bendall pleaded guilty to the murders of Terri Harris, 35, her son John Bennett, 13, daughter Lacey Bennett, 11, and Lacey's 11-year-old friend Connie Gent. He was sentenced at Derby Crown Court by Mr Justice Sweeney, who described the attacks as 'vicious, brutal and cruel'.
The court heard that Bendall attacked the victims on the evening of 18 September. He used a claw hammer to strike them on the head and upper body. Prosecution barrister Louis Mably KC said none of the victims stood a chance. Bendall also raped Lacey downstairs before moving her upstairs, where he raped her again and used a ligature around her neck.
Police were alerted by Bendall's mother after he told her he had stabbed himself. Officers found all four bodies inside the house. Bendall told officers calmly, 'I've murdered four people', but they initially did not believe him. He was under the influence of cocaine and cannabis at the time.
In victim impact statements, relatives expressed their grief. Angela Smith, Ms Harris's mother, said her grandchildren had been scared of monsters when they were younger, adding, 'I told them there's no such thing as monsters, but how wrong I was.' Jason Bennett, John and Lacey's father, said the murders had 'destroyed and taken my life away'.
Bendall was given a whole-life order, meaning he will never be released except in exceptional compassionate circumstances. He knew Ms Harris was pregnant, telling police, 'Bet you don't usually get four murders in Killamarsh do you? Well I mean five 'cause my missus was having a baby.'
