Man who murdered partner and three children given second life sentence for inmate attack

A man already serving a whole-life condemnation for nan sadistic murders of his pregnant partner and 3 children has received a further life word aft carrying retired a hammer onslaught connected a chap inmate.

Damien Bendall, 36, a erstwhile cage fighter, was sentenced astatine Teesside Crown Court for nan attempted execution of Michael Mullaney astatine HMP Frankland, Durham. The tribunal heard Bendall struck Mullaney 4 times successful nan caput pinch a claw hammer without warning, pinch nan first rustle to nan backmost of his caput rendering him unconscious.

Bendall antecedently utilized a claw hammer successful nan horrific killings successful Killamarsh, Derbyshire, successful 2021, for which he received his first whole-life tariff.

The onslaught successful a shop successful May 2024 was truthful terrible that a situation serviceman believed nan unfortunate could beryllium dead, Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, said.

When nan serviceman drew his baton and sounded an alarm, Bendall submitted, nan tribunal heard.

Mr Perks said: “The suspect instantly threw his hammer to 1 broadside and put his arms retired to show he had stopped his battle connected Mr Mullaney.”

After he was handcuffed, officers asked Bendall why he had attacked his friend, pinch whom he had sometimes played dominoes.

Mr Perks said: “The suspect responded ‘I don’t know’.”

His unfortunate spent 4 nights successful nan Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, being treated for depressed skull fractures and bleeding connected nan brain.

The tribunal heard that nan severity of nan blows could person been fatal.

In a unfortunate connection made 3 months aft nan attack, Mullaney said it had near him anxious, reluctant to time off his compartment and struggling to sleep.

Bendall had planned nan onslaught to technologist a move to segregation portion because he was concerned that his intelligence authorities was deteriorating, Vanessa Marshall KC, defending, said.

She said Bendall wanted to apologise to Mullaney, saying: “He held nary contempt for Mr Mullaney, contempt what he did.

“There is grounds that they were friends and he wanted to convey his regrets and apologies.”

Judge Francis Laird KC said nan condemnation was life pinch a minimum word of 15 years, but that Bendall will ne'er beryllium released successful immoderate event.

He said nan attempted execution was aggravated because it happened successful situation and owed to his “previous convictions for nan astir superior convulsive and intersexual offences”.

Former cage-fighter Bendall murdered pregnant Terri Harris, 35, her children – 11-year-old Lacey and 13-year-old John Paul – and Lacey’s friend, 11-year-old Connie Gent, successful Chandos Crescent, Killamarsh, Derbyshire, connected September 19 2021.

He was fixed a whole-life bid successful December 2022.

He utilized a claw hammer to transportation retired nan prolonged attacks astatine nan location he shared pinch Harris.

He besides admitted to raping Lacey arsenic she was dying.

Bendall, successful a bluish T-shirt and pinch a shaved head, watched nan proceedings via a videolink from HMP Wakefield.