Killamarsh: Heartbroken mum of woman murdered by abusive partner says life 'never gets easier' without her daughter and grandchildren

The heartbroken mother of a Killamarsh woman murdered by her abusive partner says life 'never gets easier' without her daughter and grandchildren, who he also killed.

Angela Smith's pregnant daughter Terri Harris, 35, was brutally killed by violent psychopath Damien Bendall at her home in Killamarsh, in 2021.

Bendall - now serving a whole life tariff - killed her children John Paul Bennett, 13, and Lacey Bennett, 11. He also killed Lacey's friend Connie Gent, also 11, at a family sleepover in an incident that shocked the nation.

Angela, 57, has since created a charity in Terri's name and now creates care packages for domestic abuse survivors to keep her daughter's memory alive.

‘I’m doing so much for her in her name to keep me focused’

She said: "It just never gets easier, of course it doesn't. It will be three years in September and it just never gets any easier. But I'm doing so much for her in her name to keep me focused - she didn't die in vain."

Bendall, originally from Swindon, Wiltshire, had a history of serious and violent offences dating back to 2004.

Angela says her suspicions about Bendall prompted her to use the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, known as Clare's Law. The scheme is a means of letting people find out from police if their partner has a history of domestic violence.

However, she changed her mind because she found it 'very difficult to fill out' and was concerned the police would tell Terri. But thanks to campaigning from a range of people including Angela, it has now changed so the form is easier to fill out.

Angela said: "I tried to do Claire's Law when Terri was with Bendall but I found it very hard to fill out. We started campaigning and went to parliament and now the form has been changed so it's been easier.

"I'm happy that we've done it, but for other people. I found it so difficult so I abandoned it and that was my real argument about the form."

Angel has made over 150 care packages for domestic abuse survivors as part of her charity Terri's Fight. The packages include shampoo, shower gel, lip balms, a diary and a pen, conditioner and a sponge and are given to various domestic abuse charities.

‘Terri was the kind of person who would help someone in life’

Angela, also of Killamarsh, added: "I started talking to refuges and realising the difficulty that people have to get away from these relationships. That's why I started doing them - to give people some help. Most people go to refuges and leave with nothing."

Angela says Terri would be 'very surprised' that she started the charity but added she would also 'think it was amazing.' She also described her daughter as 'quite a caring person' who would always 'help someone in life.'

Angela, who now runs the charity full-time, said: "She would think it was amazing obviously. She was the kind of person who would help someone in life, if she could.

"She was quite a caring person but I think she would be very surprised because I'm a private person. I think she would be very surprised that I've managed to get this up and running."

Visit https://www.amazon.co.uk/registries/gl/guest-view/1JGP0GXWNZUBQ? to support the charity.