Killamarsh murders: 'Harrowing' police footage shows 'monster' Damien Bendall admit murder
Warning: The above footage shows the moment Damien Bendall was arrested. There is no footage inside the house, but viewers may find the clips distressing.
Footage has been released showing the "harrowing" moment a man told police he had murdered his pregnant partner and three children at a home in Killamarsh, near Sheffield.
Damien Bendall pleaded guilty to murdering 11-year-old Lacey Bennett, her brother John Paul Bennett, 13, their mother Terri Harris, 35, and friend Connie Gent, 11. The 32-year-old also pleaded guilty to raping 11-year-old Lacey.
He had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but denied their murders, and denied rape.
Bendall was handed a whole life order by the judge at Derby Crown Court on Wednesday, 21 December - meaning he will never be released from prison.
During his 999 call, Bendall said: "I need the police and the ambulance here now because I've killed four people."
Once police arrived, he told them that he knew he was "going to go to prison, obviously".
The four victims were discovered dead at a house in Chandos Crescent on 19 September, 2021.
Louis Mably KC, prosecuting, told the court that each victim was attacked with a claw hammer, in different rooms of the house.
He said: "It appears the defendant went around the house looking for them and attacking them each in turn."
Det Insp Mark Shaw, who helped lead the investigation, said that Bendall was a "callous monster" who had carried out a "horrendous attack".
Speaking outside court after the sentencing, he said: "The level of force and violence carried out in the attacks was carried out with one intention - to take the lives of those on the premises.
"They’d all, from the nature of their relationship, come to trust Bendall and he took the opportunity to shatter that trust."
Det Insp Shaw added that while police officers "expect to deal with difficulties, no one should have to deal with such tragedy."
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