Man appears in court charged with murders of mother and three children

A mother and three children – aged 11 to 13 – were found dead by police officers at a house in Killamarsh

Damien Bendall, 31, has been charged with four murders after ‘violent acts’ at a house near Sheffield last year (SWNS)

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a mother, her two children and a friend at a sleepover last year.

Damien Bendall, 31, allegedly raped and murdered 11-year-old Lacey Bennett. He is also accused of killing her 13-year-old brother, John Paul, their mother, Terri Harris, 35, and Lacey’s friend Connie Gent, 11.

The children were reportedly having a sleepover on the night of the attack, thought to be on 19 September last year. Connie and Lacey had set up a sweet stall to raise money for charity just hours before they were killed.

The bodies of the four victims were discovered at a property in Chandos Crescent in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, after a relative of Bendall called Dorset Police to say he had sustained a self-inflicted stab wound.

Connie Gent, Lacey and John Paul Bennett, and Terri Harris were all found dead at a home in Killamarsh in September last year ( Derbyshire Police)

Derbyshire police officers were met by Bendall when they arrived at the property at 7.39am on 19 September.

On Tuesday, Bendall appeared at Derby Crown Court wearing a grey sweatshirt, blue jeans and a white face mask. He was read the charges which allege that he killed Connie, Lacey, John and Terri on a day between Friday 17 September and Monday 20 September.

Bendall spoke only to confirm his name. His defence barrister, Vanessa Marshall QC, told the judge that they were still awaiting the results of an MRI scan on Bendall and requested that they wait for the results before entering a plea.

Judge Shant expressed her disappointment in the “lack of progress” in the case. She added: “This is not an everyday case, we are very shortly before trial and we still do not know what the issues in the case are.

“I am disappointed in the lack of progress in this case and in two weeks’ time I expect the indictment to be put on the next occasion.”

This means that the next time Bendall appears in court, on 18 January, he is expected to enter his pleas to the charges.

Bendall is currently in custody at HMP Wakefield and is due to stand trial on 1 March this year.

Connie’s father, Charlie Gent, spoke of his pain after the attack, saying: “Parents, spend as much time with your kids as you possible can ... You never know what’s round the corner.”

He added: “My little girl has gone ... Fly safe, baby girl. I love you with all my heart and always will.”

Jason Bennett, father of John Paul and Lacey, said in a statement issued through Derbyshire police that his life “will never be the same again”.

Lacey Bennett with her brother John Paul Bennett and their mother Terri Harris (PA images)

He described young Lacey as his “TikTok queen” and his son John Paul as “absolutely my mini me”. He added: “Behind his tough exterior he was the most loving son you could wish for. His love for his mum was amazing he just wanted everyone to be happy.”

Terri Harris’s parents, Angela Smith and Lawrence Harris, described her as “our world, our everything”. They said she had “made many friends throughout her short life and remained loyal to all of them” and described her as “an amazing mum” whose “babies were her world”.