‘The only way to end life sentence and kill him’ says mum whose pregnant daughter & grandkids were killed by rapist
FEW could imagine the pain and turmoil Angie Smith lives with every day after her pregnant daughter and two young grandchildren were murdered in a horrific act of evil.
In December 2022, Terri, 35, was brutally killed by her partner Damien Bendall, who was 32 at the time, along with her two children, John-Paul, 13, his sister Lacey, and her friend Connie Gent, both 11.
Bendall was sentenced to life in prison but Angie is now reliving the horrors of that fateful day because in a cruel irony, sources say monster Bendall used a claw hammer – the same type of weapon he used to kill Angie’s loved ones – in an alleged attack on a prison inmate at HM Prison Frankland, County Durham.
Now, in a moving plea to ease her pain, the 58-year-old married grandmother says Bendall, who allegedly got his hands on the hammer in a prison workshop, should NOT be serving a life sentence for quadruple murder ‘on tax payers’ money’ but should be sentenced to death instead.
She says “Prison is too good for him. If it was down to me, he’d have the death penalty.
“At the very least he should be in a cell on his own only allowed out to shower.
“He wouldn’t get meals and he wouldn’t mix with other prisoners.
“I wish it was him who’d been bludgeoned in jail because that’s what he deserves.”
When Bendall came into her only daughter’s life just 18 months prior to the killings, Angie was so worried about her Terri’s safety, she’d considered applying to police to find out if he had a history of domestic violence.
But she decided against it because she feared the consequences for Terri should Bendall find out.
“I was terrified one day she’d be beaten up – I had no idea what he had in store,” says Angie, who lives in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, where the murders took place.
“Now I live with that regret. But who could have predicted what he’d do? I knew he was unhinged but never imagined the horror that was to come.”
The crime – dubbed the ‘sleepover killings’ – happened in September 2021 and shocked the nation.
Young Connie was on a sleepover at the family’s home when she too met her awful fate at the hands of Bendall who had been on a cannabis and cocaine binge.
Bendall was charged with four counts of murder and one of raping Terri’s daughter Lacey as her life ebbed away.
He pleaded guilty at Derby Crown Court and was sentenced to life in prison with a whole life tariff, meaning he’ll die behind bars.
In the time leading up to the murder, Angie recalls how Terri had always been a tomboy but had changed when she started dating Bendall.
Angie says she ‘began wearing tight shorts and low-cut tops’ and also changed her hair, dyeing it red.
Angie said she saw less of her daughter and Terri had stopped seeing friends. The gran was convinced Bendall was controlling her.
Prison is too good for him. If it was down to me, he’d have the death penalty
Angie Smith
Weeks before the killings, Bendall was given a suspended sentence for arson but he wasn’t deemed to be a danger to Terri and her children.
However, at a later inquest held at Chesterfield Coroners Court following the four murders, the coroner heard how Damien had told an electronic monitoring service officer that he would ‘murder’ his girlfriend and children, if their relationship ‘went bad.’
But no report was made by the probation officer.
“This was just one of a series of failings,’ Angie explains.
“Bendall had in fact violent offences dating back to 2004 including allegations of domestic abuse, which came out at the inquest.”
The probation service accepted 51 separate failings.
Angie, who said a ‘light has gone out of our lives’, has spent three years coming to terms with her loss.
Her anger was stirred when she received a call from the probation service following the prison attack on Friday.
She explains: “They told me there had been an incident involving Damien in prison. I asked for more information but they said they couldn’t tell me any more just that it was serious.
“I hoped it was something that had happened to him.”
I was terrified one day she’d be beaten up – I had no idea what he had in store
Angie Smith
Angie was horrified to discover that Bendall had allegedly got hold of the same type of hammer which he used on Terri and the children and is said to have crushed a man’s skull leaving him for dead.
“Why on earth did a man as violent as him get hold of a claw hammer – the same weapon he’s used on my daughter and grandchildren and Lacey’s friend? It’s just another failing in the system,” she adds.
“I know Damien. I know what he’s like. I wish someone had attacked him but if they did they’d need to do it properly because if they didn’t, he’d get them back and finish them off.”
Angie now runs Terri’s Fight in her daughter’s name – a charity that gives out bags of necessities such as toiletries and other essentials to women fleeing domestic violence.
And since her loss, she has campaigned for relatives to be able to access information on partners they suspect may be domestic abusers more easily.
That law has now been amended – as part of Clare’s Law, a ruling which allows women to check a database to find out whether a partner has previous convictions for domestic violence.
Life after loss
If you’re struggling with loss after a bereavement, the NHS website outlines some important do’s and don’ts –
Do not try to do everything at once – set small targets that you can easily achieve.
Do try talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, health professional or counsellor or contact bereavement support organisation Cruse on 0808 808 1677.
Do not focus on the things you cannot change – focus your time and energy into helping yourself feel better.
Do try to tell yourself that you’re alone – most people feel grief after a loss and support is available.
Do not try to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve grief – these can all contribute to poor mental health.
Do consider peer support, where people use their experiences to help each other. Find out more about peer support on the Mind website.
Angie hopes her work will continue to help close old wounds.
She adds: “The way my family died haunts me everyday. They were the most precious things in my life.
“The charity keeps me going – In Terri’s memory, I will do all I can to help women and their families escape domestic abuse.”
Durham Police said last night: “enquiries are still ongoing.”
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “We cannot comment on a live police investigation but prisoners who are violent face tough punishments.”