A boyfriend raped his pregnant accomplice’s daughter as he murdered each of them earlier than killing her son and a buddy at a sleepover, then advised a taxi driver he had spent the evening ‘Chilling with the household’.
Heavy hashish smoker Damien Bendall killed Lacey Bennett, 11, her brother John Paul Bennett, 13, their mom Terri Harris, 35, and 11-year-old Connie Gent in Killamarsh, Derbyshire final yr.
After murdering all 4 of them, the monster took John’s X-box and known as a taxi to take him Sheffield to change it for medicine, leaving them lifeless in the home.
When the cabbie requested him how his evening had been, Bendall advised him he had ‘Simply been chilling with the household actually’.
He had beforehand tried to plead responsible to manslaughter by diminished duty, however it was refused by the prosecution.
At Derby Crown Court docket this morning he lastly admitted homicide and raping schoolgirl Lacey throughout the assault on September 18 final yr.
Prosecutor Louis Mably KC stated Bendall – who as soon as boasted about killing a canine with a brick – murdered every sufferer in a unique room in the home with a claw hammer.
Damien Bendall has admitted murdering Lacey Bennett, 11, her brother John Paul Bennett, 13, their mom Terri Harris, 35, and 11-year-old Connie Gent in Killamarsh, Derbyshire final yr
Lacey Bennett, left, her mom Terri Harris, centre, and her brother, John Paul, have been all killed
He stated Lacey was raped as she lay dying, including: ‘The circumstances are really hideous. Terri was within the early phases of being pregnant.
‘It seems the defendant went round the home in search of them and attacking them every in flip.
‘These have been brutal, vicious and merciless assaults on a defenceless lady and three younger kids.
‘The defendant attacked them utilizing a claw hammer which he used to hit them over the top and on the higher physique.
A poignant image of Lacey Bennett and Connie Gent emerged, displaying them going out of their manner to assist these much less lucky hours earlier than the murders
Connie Gent, 11, (left) was at a sleepover on the dwelling in Killamarsh when she was murdered with Lacey (proper), John and their mom Terri Harris
‘It was completely clear not one of the victims stood an opportunity.’
Terri had first moved to Killamarsh in September 2020 and had tried to maintain the deal with secret from Bendall, who she had first met on a relationship web site in April of that yr.
However by August 2021 she advised a buddy she and the defendant have been attempting for a child and at round this time she advised her mom she supposed to marry him.
On the day of the assaults the kids had put up a stall exterior the home promoting sweets to lift cash for Most cancers Analysis.
Phone proof, together with texts, helped clarify the sequence of occasions and sheds gentle on the deteriorating relationship between Bendall and Terri.
Mr Mably stated: ‘One piece of proof is a chunk dated from September 16, simply earlier than the weekend in query, when a neighbour was on the pavement in Chandos Crescent and was simply throughout the street from the home when she noticed the defendant leaving the property and shout ‘this isn’t completed but.’
‘The witness thought on the time she would not let somebody communicate to her in that vogue.’
The neighborhood was left devastated by the murders and left floral tributes on the Derby scene
A word on flowers left on the scene as we speak stated the 4 victims’ lives ‘have been reduce far too brief however recollections would reside on’
The court docket heard Bendall had a gathering that day and it appeared to the practitioner he was not beneath the affect of drink and medicines and he claimed he was abstaining.
By 7:40pm, the defendant was out and cellphone information ‘clarify he was shopping for and smoking hashish.’
Mr Mably stated at round 5pm Ms Harris spoke to a buddy and stated they didn’t have plans that weekend and she or he would name as ‘we now have some excellent news for you.’
Mr Mably stated : ‘Amongst all this, Terri was caring for her kids who have been on that day in school. It’s clear between messages between Terri and her kids they’d a detailed and loving relationship they usually had plans that weekend and that included Lacey’s buddy Connie staying over for a sleepover.’
The court docket has heard Connie went over for a sleepover they usually all went to mattress at 10pm. Mr Mably stated Ms Harris ‘known as all of them and advised them to scrub their tooth.’
John despatched a message to his father that evening ‘a couple of Christmas current John hoped to obtain from his father that December. It was a typical dialog.’
The court docket heard Connie requested her mom if she might keep an additional evening on the home in Chandos Crescent, and she or he agreed.
Mr Mably stated: ‘Throughout the day the women and John spent the afternoon exterior the home, promoting sweets in an effort to fundraise for Most cancers Analysis. Completely satisfied go fortunate.
‘This was the truth is recorded partially on the women’ cellular telephones and different elements of their actions in that afternoon have been recorded on native CCTV.’
A clip was performed in court docket, a recording Connie and Lacey made on their cellphone with a poster they’d made for his or her candy stall.
The devastated father of two kids discovered lifeless alongside their finest buddy and mom at a semi-detached home
Mr Mably stated: ‘Terri requested them to come back dwelling simply earlier than 8pm. From about that point, the three kids have been inside the home.
‘The textual content messages, as I say, despatched between Terri and her kids that day confirmed she was a caring and loving mom who loved a detailed and loving relationship with them.
‘As they have been all collectively in the home, simply after 9pm Connie’s mom despatched a WhatsApp message to Connie wishing her ‘goodnight’ and Connie replied instantly saying good evening to her mom.’
Mr Mably continued: ‘Connie’s mom remembers that at round 21.30 she overheard a FaceTime dialog between her older daughter Libby and John Bennett. In her recollection, the dialog lasted for about half-hour. Connie’s mum hear the sound from Chandos Crescent. They have been having a final runaround.
‘The final message was despatched at 9.42pm, when John indicated to his mom that he would have a bathe earlier than going to mattress. There then comes some extent of attempting to pinpoint when the assaults passed off. There was no sound emanating that might be heard by a neighbour.
‘What the proof signifies is that a while after 9.42pm, the assaults started. The information was the kids was going to mattress and the defendant was in the home.
‘Phone proof reveals at 7.50pm he had been in the home attempting to make contact together with his drug supplier, telephoning the supplier of cocaine and it seems he had cocaine to promote and it seems he was sending messages out to his shoppers at the moment.’
The household’s 4 our bodies have been found at a home in Killamarsh, in Derbyshire on September 19.
The alarm had been raised after a relative of Bendall had known as Dorset Police to say he had sustained a self-inflicted stab wound.
Mr Mably stated Bendall known as his mom at round 7am after which she known as the police to inform them the that her son had suffered a self-inflicted stab wound.
It was then the killer used Connie’s cellphone to name 999 the place he advised them that he had killed 4 individuals.
Officers met the killer on the door of the home and after speaking to him he allow them to in.
Inside they discovered the rampage he had gone on and the 4 our bodies within the property.
The court docket heard attending officer PC Stubbs discovered John mendacity lifeless on the ground of the toilet.
He found Lacey and Terri’s our bodies in the principle bed room and Connie within the second bed room.
Harrowing audio of him performed to the court docket confirmed how the veteran officer had stated: Oh Jesus, there are a minimum of three casualties, they’re gone, they’re all gone, Jesus. I do not know who they’re however they’re all gone. Large head accidents.’
As he was arrested Bendall had whined to officers ‘I am going again to jail once more’ and ‘I’ve murdered 4 individuals’.
When police requested him why he mumbled ‘I do not know. I blanked out, it is like I used to be, erm, exterior my physique however wanting in.’
Bendall was infamous within the space as an area legal.
Now the pleas have been entered it may be disclosed he had brushes with the legislation, together with arson when he set a BMW price £1,350 on hearth in Might 2020.
He was serving a suspended sentence for this when he carried out the murders.
On the time of their murders John and Lacey’s father, Jason Bennett, made a heartfelt tribute to his son and daughter.
In assertion he stated ‘I have been left damaged. I am devastated. John and Lacey got here into our lives and introduced a lot love and happiness and have been adored on my own and their huge sisters, endlessly liked and remembered.
‘We’d additionally prefer to thank everybody for his or her loving assist and our ideas exit to everybody affected by the tragic lack of 4 valuable lives.’
Ms Harris’s dad and mom, Angela Smith and Lawrence Harris, described her as ‘a tremendous mum’ who ‘put herself out not only for her household and pals however anybody who wanted her assist’.
They added: ‘She completely liked her work as a care employee and would go above and past for the individuals she cared for.
‘She will probably be missed greater than any phrases can ever categorical, not solely by her household however by anybody who had the privilege to have been in her life.’
And Connie’s father, Charles Gent stated: ‘The ache is indescribable. I get up each morning hoping this has all been a horrible nightmare, however it’s not. It is the insufferable actuality that my little woman has gone.
‘Connie was an absolute famous person in each manner. She had a present – if somebody was down she might immediately make them really feel okay.
‘She lit up each room she went in and meant one thing to everybody she got here throughout, even in arduous occasions. Connie had the power to maintain everybody smiling.
‘Fly protected my angel. They got here for you and left me behind. I might by no means say goodbye, so I am going to see you quickly. I really like you greater than you possibly can probably think about endlessly and all the time.’