RIPPED DOWN
House of horrors where evil boyfriend murdered pregnant partner and 3 children with a claw hammer is demolished
A 'HOUSE of horrors' where an evil killer murdered his pregnant girlfriend and three children with a claw hammer has been demolished.
The pebble-dashed semi is to be replaced by a memorial garden for monster Damien Bendall's victims.
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The sick killer bludgeoned Terri Harris, 35, to death at her home in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, in September 2021.
Terri was pregnant with his child at the time.
In the same night, Bendall murdered her son John-Paul Bennett, 13, daughter Lacey Bennett and Lacey's best friend Connie Gent, both 11. He also raped Lacey.
He is serving a whole life term for the crimes, which shocked the nation.
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The house where the killings occurred has now been flattened along with the neighbouring semi after its tenants asked the council to be moved.
Jack Ashbourne, who lives in the street, said he thought demolishing the house was the right thing to do, and that he understood only grass would be left in its place.
He said: "Of course it is still upsetting to hear about what happened there, and people don't want to speak about it too much.
"But a lot of people still leave flowers there in memory of those poor people who died. They put them around the tree there."
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Another resident, who did not want to be named, said: "It's the best thing that could possibly be done, although I think it could have been done quicker.
"It's been nearly two years. I understand they are going to make it into a garden, somewhere to remember the victims, and I think people will be happy with that."
North East Derbyshire District Council, which owns the property valued at roughly £100,000, came to the decision after tenants in the adjoining home asked to leave.
was boarded up before the bulldozers were called in on Friday, July 21.
A spokesman previously said: "Following their request to be rehoused, we have been working hard to find the neighbouring family alternative accommodation and they have moved into their new home recently.
"Since these terrible events first unfolded, it has been our intention to demolish the house but we were unable to act on this due to the ongoing legal proceedings and the understandable sensitivities involved."
Bendall was given a whole life sentence on December 21 last year after admitting the murders and rape as Lacey's pal Connie slept over at the house.
Prosecutor Louis Malby KC told Derby Crown Court his victims had been subjected to a 'hideous, brutal and cruel attack'.
She told the court that each victim was attacked in a different room and it appeared Bendall stalked the house looking for them.
The court heard he hit them with the hammer so hard that their skulls were smashed in.
She said: "It was perfectly clear none of the victims stood a chance."
His sentencing heard Bendall and Terri had met on a dating website about 18 months previously but had an "unharmonious and deteriorating" relationship.
Bendall was a well-known criminal, a heavy drug user and also 'showed interest in other women' but Terri told her mum she still intended to marry him.
Connie was at the house where Lacey and John lived with their mother and Bendall for a sleepover on September 17 and asked if she could stay for a second night.
On the day of the depraved attacks, the children had put up a stall outside the house selling sweets to raise money for Cancer Research.
That evening Connie's mother sent a WhatsApp message to her daughter saying 'goodnight' as the youngster's were going to bed.
It is believed they were all attacked at some point between 9.42pm and 10pm that night.
Bendall called 999 the following day using Connie's mobile phone to confess saying: "Basically I need the police and ambulance now because I just killed four people.";
Bendall greeted police at the door and allowed them inside where horrified officers discovered the four bodies.
A review into how he was dealt with by probation officers revealed a string of blunders left him free to kill.
He had a long history of committing violent crime and was hauled into court just three months before the murders for an arson attack.
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The failings meant Bendall was deemed suitable to live with his Terri and her children.
He could, instead, have been sent to prison when he was sentenced for arson just months before the murders.
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