A ‘home of horrors’ the place a ‘actually evil’ monster murdered his pregnant companion and three kids with a claw hammer is ready to be razed to the bottom after the wicked quadruple killer was jailed for all times.
Council chiefs say they intend to demolish the Fifties pebble-dash semi the place drug-using ‘profession felony’ Damien Bendall raped and murdered Lacey Bennett, 11, earlier than killing her brother John Paul Bennett, 13, their mom Terri Harris, 35, and their buddy Connie Gent, 11.
North East Derbyshire District Council, which owns the property valued at roughly £100,000, got here to the choice after tenants within the adjoining dwelling in Killamarsh requested to go away.
And a spokesperson from the council added that the constructing would get replaced with a ‘becoming commemoration’ to those that misplaced their lives there on September 19 final 12 months.
Council chiefs say they intend to demolish the Fifties pebble-dash semi
Damien Bendall murdered Lacey Bennett, 11, her brother John Paul Bennett, 13, their mom Terri Harris, 35, and 11-year-old Connie Gent in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, final 12 months
They mentioned: ‘The previous 15 months have been a really difficult time as so many have struggled to return to phrases with what occurred.
‘The home is one in all a pair of semi-detached properties. Following their request to be rehoused, we have now been working laborious to search out the neighbouring household various lodging they usually have moved into their new dwelling just lately.
‘Since these horrible occasions first unfolded, it has been our intention to demolish the home however we had been unable to behave on this as a result of ongoing authorized proceedings and the comprehensible sensitivities concerned.
‘Now that the case has been concluded and each properties are not occupied, we will probably be continuing to demolish the properties within the New Yr whereas additionally consulting additional on what to do with the location and discovering a becoming commemoration to recollect the victims of this terrible tragedy.’
Bendall was given a complete life sentence when he appeared in courtroom on December 21 after admitting to homicide.
Prosecutor Louis Malby KC advised Derby Crown Court docket his victims had been subjected to a ‘hideous, brutal and merciless assault.’
She mentioned: ‘On the night time of September 18 stretching into the early hours of Sunday the defendant brutally murdered Terri Harris, who was within the early stage of being pregnant.
‘He additionally murdered Terri’s two kids by a earlier companion. He additionally murdered Connie Gent, a buddy of Lacey’s who simply occurred to be staying on the home for a sleepover.
Lacey Bennett, left, her mom Terri Harris, centre, and her brother, John Paul, had been all killed
A choose advised Bendall: ‘In April 2020 you started a relationship with Terri Harris (centre) which turned abusive and controlling’
Bendall assembly police outdoors the home of the murders
‘It does seem that every sufferer was attacked in a unique room. It seems that the defendant went round the home searching for them.
‘The circumstances of the offences are actually hideous. These had been brutal and merciless assaults on a lady and three kids.
‘The defendant attacked them utilizing a claw hammer. He hit them with such ferocity that in essence their skulls had been smashed in. It was completely clear not one of the victims stood an opportunity.
‘One of many dreadful information concerning the case is that in the course of the assaults the defendant raped 11-year-old Lacey.’
The courtroom heard Bendall and Terri had met on a courting web site about 18 months beforehand however had an ‘unharmonious and deteriorating’ relationship.
Bendall was a well known felony, a heavy drug consumer and likewise ‘confirmed curiosity in different girls’ however Terri advised her mom that she nonetheless meant to marry him.
Connie was on the home the place Lacey and John lived with their mom and Bendall for a sleepover on September 17 and requested if she might keep for a second night time. On the day of the wicked assaults, the kids had put up a stall outdoors the home promoting sweets to boost cash for Most cancers Analysis.
That night, Connie’s mom despatched a WhatsApp message to her daughter saying ‘goodnight’ because the teen’s had been going to mattress.
It’s believed they had been all attacked sooner or later between 9.42pm and 10pm that night time.
Bendall referred to as 999 the next day utilizing Connie’s cell phone to admit saying: ‘Mainly I would like the police and ambulance now as a result of I simply killed 4 individuals.’
Bendall greeted police on the door and allowed them inside the place horrified officers found the 4 our bodies.
In courtroom final week, Choose Nigel Sweeney confirmed little perception in Bendall’s pathetic try to clarify away the killings by claiming he had a mind harm, one thing his personal lawyer mentioned no exams had proved. His drug use was additionally not accepted as a mitigating issue.
Bendall, who may be seen in a Chelsea T-shirt, whined about how he could be despatched again to jail
The choose advised him: ‘You could have a big background of violent offending.
‘In April 2020 you started a relationship with Terri Harris which turned abusive and controlling, distancing Terri from her household.
‘On September 18, you carried out a brutal and cruel assault on a defenceless lady and three kids. You attacked Lacey downstairs and carried her upstairs the place you raped her on the mattress the place her mom had been killed as her life ebbed away.’
Bendall had proven no regard for any of his victims. After killing John, he stole his X-Field and took a taxi to close by Sheffield to promote it for medicine.
On the best way he had advised the cabbie he had spent the night time ‘chilling along with his household’ as all of them lay lifeless at his dwelling.
