Key dates and missed opportunities leading up to Killamarsh killings
A formal review into probation’s handling of quadruple murderer and violent rapist Damien Bendall has laid bare a litany of missed opportunities in the months and years leading up to the Killamarsh killings.
Here are the key dates leading up to to the murders of 35-year-old Terri Harris, her 11-year-old daughter Lacey Bennett, her son John Paul Bennett, 13, and Lacey’s friend Connie Gent, 11.
2004
– January 7: Bendall reprimanded for criminal damage after throwing an egg at a woman’s house aged 13.
2010
– April 20: He receives a caution for possession of cocaine.
2011
– June 30: Bendall is handed his first prison sentence after being jailed for three years for the violent robbery of a lone Asian man.
2012
– August 16: He is released on home detention curfew to his mother’s house.
2015
– August 21: Bendall is jailed for a further three years after the attempted knifepoint robbery of a newsagent.
2016
– May 10: Bendall commits grievous bodily harm and two counts of assault
occasioning actual bodily harm against prison officers after being
denied a prison transfer.
– May 25: A prison officer records that Bendall’s ex-partner contacted the prison and disclosed domestic abuse in their relationship.
– July 5: The same ex-partner contacts a probation officer disclosing
domestic abuse in her relationship with Bendall and seeks guidance on how
to obtain a restraining order.
– July 12: Bendall’s ex-partner contacts same probation officer to say more should be done to protect her and that she wants to speak to a manager.
– December 20: He is released on licence to an approved premises.
– December 21: Bendall recalled to prison for breaching licence after failing to report to approved premises.
2017
– January 29: Bendall sentenced to 30 months in prison for the attacks on prison officers.
2018
– October 31: He is released on licence to an approved premises.
– November 28: Bendall recalled to prison due to poor behaviour at the approved premises – including staying out all night, missing curfew and drinking alcohol on site.
2019
– June 27: He is refused release in a parole review and refuses to engage with parole process again.
– August 9: Bendall release from prison at the end of his sentence, so no post-release probation supervision was possible.
2020
– March 17: Wiltshire Police’s child sexual exploitation team contacts probation to confirm Bendall’s last known address and say they held evidence of sexual risk of harm to girls.
– May 9: Bendall commits arson in Swindon while using cannabis and alcohol.
2021
– June 7: A member of the, then National Probation Service’s court team describes a curfew requirement for Bendall to live with Ms Harris and her children as “suitable” after not reading police evidence of sexual risk of harm to girls.
– June 9: Bendall handed a 17-month suspended sentence with 175 hours unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, a six-month alcohol
treatment requirement, and a five-month curfew requirement.
– July 6: Probation officer’s risk assessment of Bendall says any resumption of alcohol or drugs would increase the risk of serious harm.
– August 2: Bendall discloses smoking cannabis and drinking strong alcohol.
– August 13: Probation officer contacts children’s services asking whether a referral is suitable due to Bendall’s cannabis use, but no formal referral is made or recommended.
– September 10: Bendall sent initial warning after failing to comply with telephone probation appointment.
– September 19: Bendall is arrested in connection with the murders of Terri Harris, Lacey Bennett, John Paul Bennett and Connie Gent.
