“The only way to end the life sentence is to kill him,” says the mother whose pregnant daughter and grandchildren were killed by a rapist monster during a sleepover

Few can imagine the pain and upset Angie Smith faces every day after her pregnant daughter and two young grandchildren were murdered in a horrific act.

In December 2022, 35-year-old Terri was brutally killed by her then 32-year-old partner Damien Bendall, along with their two children John-Paul (13), his sister Lacey and their friend Connie Gent (both 11).

Bendall was sentenced to life in prison, but Angie is now reliving the horrors of that fateful day because, in a cruel irony, sources say the monster used a claw hammer – the same type of weapon he used to kill Angie’s loved ones – to Bendall in an alleged attack. used about a prison inmate at HM Prison Frankland, County Durham.

In a moving appeal to ease her pain, the 58-year-old married grandmother now says Bendall, who allegedly got his hands on the hammer in a prison workshop, should NOT serve a life sentence for the quadruple murder of “taxpayers.” “Money” but should instead be sentenced to death.

She says: “Prison is too good for him. If it were up to me, he would face the death penalty.

“At the very least he should be in a solitary cell and only allowed to shower.

“He was not given meals or socialized with other prisoners.

“I wish it had been him who had been beaten to death in prison because that is what he deserves.”

When Bendall came into her only daughter’s life just 18 months before the murders, Angie was so worried about her Terri’s safety that she considered applying to her job police to find out if he had one Story of domestic violence.

But she decided against it because she feared the consequences for Terri if Bendall found out.

“I was afraid she would get beaten up one day – I had no idea what he was planning to do,” says Angie, who lives in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, where the murders took place.

“Now I live with that regret. But who could have predicted what he would do? I knew he was crazy, but I could never have imagined it Horror That was yet to come.”

The crime – so-called “overnight murders” – occurred in September 2021 and shocked the nation.

Young Connie was staying overnight at the family home when she, too, met her terrible fate at the hands of Bendall, who was high on cannabis and cocaine.

Bendall was charged with four counts of murder and one count of raping Terri’s daughter Lacey as her life faded away.

He pleaded guilty to Derby Crown Court and was sentenced to life in prison with a life sentence, meaning he will die behind bars.

Angie recalls that Terri had always been a tomboy before the murder, but changed when she started dating Bendall.

Angie says she “started wearing tight shorts and low-cut tops” and also changed hairturns it red.

Angie said she has seen less of her daughter and Terri has stopped seeing friends. The grandmother was convinced that Bendall was controlling her.

Prison is too good for him. If it were up to me, he would face the death penalty

Angie Smith

Weeks before the murders, Bendall was given a suspended sentence for arson, but he was not considered a threat to Terri or her children.

However, at a later inquest at Chesterfield Coroners Court following the four murders, the coroner heard how Damien had told an electronic monitoring service officer that he would “murder” his girlfriend and children if their relationship “went wrong”.

However, the probation officer did not file a report.

“That was just one of many mistakes,” explains Angie.

“There were actual violent crimes in Bendall dating back to 2004, including domestic violence allegations that came to light during the investigation.”

The probation service accepted 51 individual breaches.

Angie, who said “a light has gone out of our lives,” has spent three years coming to terms with her loss.

Her anger grew when she received a call from the probation service after the prison attack on Friday.

She explains: “They told me there had been an incident with Damien in prison. I asked for more information but they said they couldn’t tell me more, only that it was a serious matter.

“I hoped something had happened to him.”

I was terrified that one day she would get beaten up – I had no idea what he was planning to do

Angie Smith

Angie was horrified to discover that Bendall had allegedly gotten his hands on the same type of hammer he had used on Terri and the children and had allegedly crushed a man’s skull, leaving him for dead.

“Why continue? Earth Did a man as violent as him get his hands on a claw hammer – the same weapon he used on my daughter, my grandchildren and Lacey’s girlfriend? It’s just another flaw in the system,” she adds.

“I know Damien. I know what he’s like. I wish someone had attacked him, but if they had, they had to do it right because if not, he would come back and finish them off.”

Angie now runs Terri’s Fight on behalf of her daughter – a charity that distributes bags of necessities such as toiletries and other essentials to women fleeing domestic violence.

And since her loss, she has campaigned To make it easier for family members to access information about partners who they suspect are perpetrating domestic violence.

The Law has now been changed – as part of Clare’s Law, a scheme that allows women to check a database to find out whether a partner has a previous conviction for domestic violence.

Angie hopes her work will continue to help close old wounds.

She added: “The way my family died haunts me every day. They were the most precious things in my life.”

“The charity keeps me going – in Terri’s memory I will do everything I can to help women and their families escape domestic violence.”

Durham Police said last night: “The investigation is ongoing.”

A Prison Service spokesman said: “We cannot comment on an ongoing police investigation, but violent prisoners face harsh sentences.”