Killamarsh: Mother and three children died as result of ‘violent attack’, inquest hears

A mother and three children who were found dead at a house died as a result of a “violent attack”, an inquest opening has heard.

The bodies of John Paul Bennett, 13, Lacey Bennett, 11, their mother Terri Harris, 35, and Lacey’s friend Connie Gent, 11, were discovered at a property in Chandos Crescent, Killamarsh, near Sheffield on September 19.

Damien Bendall, 31, has since been charged with all four murders and has been remanded into custody by a crown court judge.

An inquest opening at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court heard a relative of Bendall had called Dorset Police to say the defendant had sustained a self-inflicted stab wound.

Area coroner Peter Nieto was told officers were met by Bendall at the address in Chandos Crescent and following a further conversation with the suspect, entered the house where they found the bodies of the four victims.

Flowers near to the scene in Chandos Crescent, Killamarsh, near Sheffield (Dave Higgens/PA) (PA Wire)

Mr Nieto said the inquest would be suspended until the conclusion of the pending criminal trial.

John and Lacey’s father, Jason Bennett, called for the the return of capital punishment on social media as he posted heartbreaking tributes to the victims.

He reposted a picture on Facebook from August last year by Tom Bradley, from California, in the early hours of Tuesday morning calling to bring back capital punishment.

In a separate tribute, Connie’s father Charlie Gent spoke his “sweet little girl”, adding: “The hardest thing is I’m not going to get to hold her again”.

He told ITV News: “Connie was such a special and sweet little girl. She was my little sidekick. She was my rock, my shining star, my angel.”