Prisoner Who Murdered Family Attacks Inmate with Hammer to Get Moved
A murderer serving a whole life order for killing his partner, her two children, and a friend has attempted to murder a fellow prison inmate with a claw hammer in a bid to be transferred to a segregation unit, a court has heard. Damien Bendall, 36, carried out the brutal attack at high-security HMP Frankland in County Durham on May 10, 2024, targeting an inmate he was often seen playing dominoes with.
Details of the Horrific Prison Attack
Prosecutor Jolyon Perks told Teesside Crown Court that Bendall and the victim were on "friendly terms" before the incident. While in the prison workshop, Bendall armed himself with a claw hammer and swung it with full force at the victim's head from behind, rendering him immediately unconscious. Bendall then struck three more blows to the head as the victim lay motionless.
Prison staff quickly restrained Bendall, who dropped the hammer and raised his arms. When asked why he carried out the attack, he replied, "I don't know." The victim survived but suffered two skull fractures and required hospital treatment for four nights before returning to prison.
Background of the Killer's Previous Crimes
Damien Bendall was already serving a whole life order for the murders of Terri Harris, 35, her children Lacey Bennett, 11, and John-Paul Bennett, 13, and Lacey's friend Connie Gent, 11, in Derbyshire in 2022. Those killings were also carried out with a hammer. Bendall has four previous convictions for 12 offences, including four murders and the rape of a child under 13, along with robbery, assault, and arson.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Bendall pleaded guilty to attempted murder and appeared in court via link from HMP Wakefield's segregation unit. Defence barrister Vanessa Marshall KC stated that Bendall admitted the offence and engineered the attack to get transferred to segregation. She noted he has a degenerative condition causing dementia and expressed regret for the crime, despite evidence he and the victim were friends.
Judge Francis Laird KC described the attempted murder as "premeditated and planned" and sentenced Bendall to life in prison with a minimum term of 15 years. Due to his existing whole life order, the judge indicated it is likely he will never be released.
