Damien Bendall: Exposed – the missed chances to prevent ‘psychopathic’ criminal from killing four people
Probation officers made a series of failings before a “psychopathic” criminal murdered three children and his pregnant partner, a watchdog has said.
Damien Bendall killed his 35-year-old girlfriend Terri Harris, her 11-year-old daughter Lacey Bennett, her 13-year-old son John Paul Bennett, and Lacey’s 11-year-old friend Connie Gent in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, in September 2021.
They were attacked with a claw hammer, and Bendall also admitted raping Lacey.
He is now serving a whole-life order for the murders, but a review has found that the Probation Service’s handling of Bendall was of an “unacceptable standard” at every stage – and “critical opportunities” to correct errors were missed.
Chief inspector of probation Justin Russell said the Probation Service’s handling of Bendall, from court to within the community, “fell far below what was required” – and he was handled by “insufficiently qualified and experienced” officers.
Bendall was living under curfew with Ms Harris and her children, despite previous convictions for violent crime, and allegations of domestic abuse made by a former partner.
He was on probation serving a suspended prison sentence for arson – and gave Ms Harris’s address for his curfew order.
But the probation officers dealing with the case did not ask Ms Harris if she consented to him giving her address, nor did they visit the house to assess the levels of risk.
With a history of crime dating back to 2004, Bendall is first recorded as being supervised by probation in 2011 – more than a decade before the killings.
He had previous convictions for crimes including robbery, attempted robbery and grievous bodily harm – prompting Justice Secretary Dominic Raab to order a review.
Terri Harris. Pic: Derbyshire Constabulary
A litany of failings
Mr Russell’s report revealed a plethora of missed opportunities by probation officers, which led to “serious consequences”.
This includes how Bendall’s records showed allegations of domestic abuse made against him by an ex-partner – and that Wiltshire Police’s child sexual exploitation unit had contacted probation as they had evidence that he held a “sexual risk of harm to girls”.
According to the report, officers at the time were focused on Bendall’s violence behind bars and extreme right-wing views after he claimed that he was a high-ranking member of a white supremacist group.
As a result, the report said intelligence about the risk of “serious sexual harm” was “not explored or recorded sufficiently” to inform checks to help keep children safe.
Despite the killer admitting to using Class A drugs and alcohol – and “frequently” taking money from his family to fuel his addiction – this information was not escalated to a manager and the risk to partners and children continued to be assessed as low.
Decisions taken by officers were put down to their lack of experience. The report said officers “should not have been exposed to cases such as (Bendall’s) at this stage in their careers”.
Making 17 recommendations for improvement, Mr Russell said: “If Bendall had been assessed as presenting a higher risk of serious harm – which would have been appropriate – it is unlikely a curfew order would have been deemed suitable and he would have been assigned to more experienced and confident probation officers.”
He added that this case was the “most concerning” of his tenure – and the parents of Ms Harris and Connie Gent were “shocked” by the findings.
In a statement, prisons and probation minister Damian Hinds confirmed that disciplinary action has already been taken against two members of staff, and added: “The extra funding of £155m a year we have put into the Probation Service is being used to recruit thousands more frontline staff and to ensure domestic abuse and child safeguarding checks are always carried out before any offender is given a curfew.
“The Probation Service has also improved information sharing with police and councils, so no family is put at such significant risk again.”
A British grandmother has died after contracting rabies from a “slight scratch” from a puppy during a holiday in Morocco, her family has said.
Yvonne Ford’s daughter said she travelled to the North African country in February but did not become ill until two weeks ago.
Robyn Thomson said in a Facebook post: “Our family is still processing this unimaginable loss, but we are choosing to speak up in the hope of preventing this from happening to others.
“She was scratched very slightly by a puppy in Morocco in February. At the time, she did not think any harm would come of it and didn’t think much of it.
“Two weeks ago she became ill, starting with a headache and resulted in her losing her ability to walk, talk, sleep, swallow. Resulting in her passing.”
Yvonne Ford went to Morocco in February, her family said. Pic: Facebook
Ms Ford, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, was diagnosed with the virus at Barnsley Hospital.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said health workers and close contacts were being assessed and offered vaccination when necessary.
It said there was no risk to the wider public because there is no evidence rabies can be transmitted between people.
What is rabies and how is it treated?
Rabies is caused by a virus invading the central nervous system.
It is spread by mammals – such as cats, dogs, bats, raccoons and foxes – but in the UK it’s only found in some bats, according to the NHS.
Once symptoms appear, it is almost always fatal, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The first symptoms can mirror a flu, while later symptoms include numbness or tingling in the affected area, hallucinations, anxiety, difficulty swallowing or breathing, nausea, vomiting, agitation, excessive saliva and paralysis.
But if seen to promptly after a bite, scratch or lick by an animal that may carry the virus, treatment is usually very effective at preventing the condition.
Treatment usually involves two or more doses of the rabies vaccine or a medicine called rabies immunoglobulin, which is a liquid administered to the wound and is only required if the patient has not had the rabies vaccine or has a weakened immune system.
The rabies vaccine is recommended if you’re travelling to a part of the world where rabies is more common.
Around 60,000 people die every year from rabies worldwide, with the majority in Africa and Asia, according to the WHO.
Read more about rabies, and how to avoid getting it, here.
Dr Katherine Russell at the UKHSA said: “I would like to extend my condolences to this individual’s family at this time.
“If you are bitten, scratched or licked by an animal in a country where rabies is found then you should wash the wound or site of exposure with plenty of soap and water and seek medical advice without delay in order to get post-exposure treatment to prevent rabies.”
The UKHSA urges travellers to rabies-affected countries, for example in Asia and Africa, to avoid contact with dogs, cats and other animals wherever possible and check whether a vaccination is needed before travelling.
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There have been six cases of human rabies associated with animal exposure abroad that have been reported in the UK between 2000 and 2024.
This includes a case in 2012, when a UK resident died after being bitten by a dog – the most common source of infection in most parts of the world – in South Asia.
The latest case was in 2018, when another Briton died after being bitten by a cat in Morocco.
Latest World Health Organisation figures show a number of deaths from rabies in Morocco have been reported every year from 2010 to 2022.
Rabies does not circulate in either wild or domestic animals in the UK, although some species of bats can carry a rabies-like virus. No human cases of rabies acquired in the UK from animals other than bats have been reported since 1902.
The grieving mother of a Scottish teenager who vanished for almost five weeks has told Sky News she believes a “third party” was involved in her son’s death – but police say there’s “no evidence” of that.
Cole Cooper, 19, was discovered dead in woods near Falkirk earlier this month following a missing persons inquiry his relatives don’t believe was taken seriously enough by police.
He was last seen on CCTV in May after leaving a house party, but police later revealed a former school friend had spoken to Cole a few days later nearby.
Speaking exclusively to Sky News, his mother Wendy Stewart, 42, revealed her son had “various arguments” in the days and hours before he disappeared.
Cole’s mum Wendy (L) and his aunt Aimee
In an emotional interview, she said: “He was only 19, he should never have been taken. I am never going to see him again. I never got a chance to give him a last cuddle and hold his hand.
“Someone has taken that away from me far too soon. Whether it be intentionally or unintentionally, I do believe there has been some involvement by a third party and the result is the death of Cole.”
The family, who organised a local vigil in Cole’s memory last weekend, have vowed to get “justice”.
Asked what that means, Ms Stewart told Sky News: “Finding the culprit and getting justice that way. Finding the person that is responsible for the death of my child.”
Police previously said 400 residents were spoken to during door-to-door enquiries and more than 2,000 hours of CCTV footage was collected.
The 19-year-old’s death is being treated as “unexplained”, with a top police officer saying “at this time there is no evidence of any third party involvement”.
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A vigil was held in Banknock for Cole Cooper. Pic: PA
Cole’s aunt Aimee Tennie, 32, revealed the family’s anger over the police handling of the case as they attempt to find out what happened.
She said: “We are aware of small details surrounding the weekend leading up to it with arguments. He had a few arguments over that weekend. We want the details re-examined thoroughly.”
Sky News put all of the family’s concerns and allegations to Police Scotland.
The force initially swerved our questions and responded saying: “Enquiries remain ongoing.”
In an update later on Wednesday morning, Detective Chief Inspector Bob Williamson said: “We are carrying out significant enquiries into Cole’s death, however, at this time there is no evidence of any third party involvement.
“It is vital that we establish the full circumstances leading up to Cole’s death so that we can provide some answers to his family.
“The thoughts of everyone involved in this investigation are very much with his family and friends and officers will continue to offer them support and keep them informed as our enquiries progress.”
Ms Stewart claimed the probe has been handled “shockingly” with a failure to take her son’s disappearance seriously.
The 42-year-old said: “I have had to scream and shout from rooftops to be heard by the police. I don’t think they have handled it well.
“The police really need to take accountability and listen to families, they are reporting a missing child and understand the family knows their child best.”
Cole’s loved ones still have not been told when his body will be released to allow them to lay him to rest.
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