Joshua Jacques, a 29-year-old man from Lewisham, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 46 years after brutally stabbing his girlfriend and three of her family members to death in what he described as a “sacrifice.”
The horrific incident occurred in the home of Samantha Drummonds and her family on Delaford Road, Bermondsey. Fuelled by drugs and alcohol, Jacques launched a frenzied knife attack on Ms. Drummonds and her relatives.
Police were alerted to the disturbance by a neighbour, leading to the grim discovery of the bodies of Ms. Drummonds, 27, her mother Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, 45, grandmother Dolet Hill, 64, and Ms. Hill’s partner, Denton Burke, 58. Mr. Burke’s body was found at the foot of the stairs, while the three women were discovered “heaped together” in the kitchen.
Armed officers found Jacques naked and praying in the upstairs bathroom, uttering distressing phrases such as “Allah, take me!”, “Kill me now”, and “God please forgive me.”
During his time at Lewisham Hospital, Jacques chillingly stated, “I ain’t even in the wrong, I did them for sacrifice,” and issued a warning: “I will do something stupid again.
While Jacques admitted manslaughter, he denied murder on the grounds of being mentally unwell at the time. However, an Old Bailey jury deliberated for two hours before finding him guilty of four counts of murder.
In sentencing, Mr. Justice Bryan condemned Jacques’ “horrific catalogue of murders,” attributing his actions to an increased intake of skunk cannabis. He emphasized the dangers of cannabis abuse on mental health, stating, “It is a salutary lesson to all those who peddle the myth that cannabis is not a dangerous drug.
The judge’s remarks underscored the devastating impact of substance abuse on individuals and families, serving as a poignant reminder of the need for awareness and intervention to prevent such tragic outcomes in the future.
