Probation Officer Admits Failing to Spot Killer’s Violent Past
In a bombshell revelation at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court, a probation officer confessed she never had time to read the full violent history of Damien Bendall. This shocking oversight meant the convicted murderer was allowed to live freely with his partner and her children — before he brutally slaughtered them.
How Bendall Escaped Justice Before the Killings
Damien Bendall, 33, carried out his horrific crimes on September 19, 2021, in Killamarsh, near Sheffield. His victims included his pregnant partner Terri Harris, 35, her children John Paul Bennett, 13, and Lacey Bennett, 11, plus Lacey’s 11-year-old friend Connie Gent. Bendall also raped Lacey on the same day.
The probation officer admitted in court that her pre-sentence report leaned heavily on Bendall’s own accounts. She likely missed previous reports flagging him as a major risk to women and children. “Hindsight is a wonderful thing,” she told Coroner Peter Nieto.
Missed Red Flags and Fatal Curfew Decision
The officer admitted she learned of crucial risk information only after her report was submitted. More thorough knowledge would have changed her assessment and possibly prevented Bendall’s curfew — a decision now slammed as “dangerous and entirely inappropriate.”
Bendall had been handed a suspended sentence with a curfew weeks before the killings. The probation officer’s report labelled him a medium risk of serious harm to the public but only a low risk to partners and children — a fatal misjudgment.
Failings in Safeguarding Checks Exposed
- The officer admitted ticking boxes on safeguarding checks she never actually completed.
- An Inspectorate of Probation inquiry condemned the assessment allowing Bendall’s curfew.
- Bendall was later given a whole-life tariff in December 2022 for the murders and rape.
The damning inquest continues to expose serious systemic failures that let a killer slip through the cracks.
