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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Josh Payne

Key dates and missed opportunities leading up to Killamarsh killings

PA Media

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 assaultoccasioning actual bodily harm against prison officers after beingdenied 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 disclosingdomestic abuse in her relationship with Bendall and seeks guidance on howto 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 alcoholtreatment 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.

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