‘I wanted to kill her’: Teen admits stabbing ‘annoying’ sister to death
The killer had disassociated from the world after excessive gaming, court hears
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A teenage boy has been sentenced to at least 10 years and five months after admitting he wanted to kill his “annoying” sister.
Mali Bennett-Smith was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court after pleading guilty to murder on Monday morning.
The 17-year-old held his sister, 19-year-old Luka Bennett-Smith, in a headlock before stabbing her repeatedly at their home in St Andrews, the court heard.
He rang emergency services 20 minutes afterwards.
Bennett-Smith’s name was suppressed following the 20 October 2024 incident due to his age.
However, that restriction was lifted by the court following an application by the PA news agency.
Judge Hart said: “It’s often said in courtrooms when a child has died: ‘It must be every parent’s worst nightmare.’
“The horror of the loss of their daughter at the hands of the son they still love is beyond even the worst nightmares.”
The court heard that Bennett-Smith grew up on a remote farm in New Zealand and was home-schooled.
He moved to the United Kingdom with his mother and sister following his parents’ divorce.
He wanted to go to college to prepare to join the army, but later dropped out, the court heard.
Bennett-Smith and his sister were at home on their own when the killing took place.
In a prepared statement he later gave to police, Bennett-Smith said his sister, who had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), was “annoying” and he felt she bullied him.
He told officers: “After watching a video, I went downstairs to the lounge and I asked Luka if I could practise a headlock on her.
“She agreed, we have done this before and when she needed me to stop we had an agreement where she would tap me on the arm.
“On this occasion, I had decided I was not going to stop, I wanted to kill her, I had enough with regards she had been treating me over the years and recently.”
Sentencing him to detention at his majesty’s pleasure, the judge said: “The killing was shocking and brutal.
“It has deprived Luka of her life, your parents in effect of two of their children, and will deprive you of your liberty.”
Ray Tully KC, defending, said Bennett-Smith had severe dyslexia and dysgraphia and, although he had an above-average IQ, was found to have below-average “processing speed”.
He said the teenager’s “somewhat unconventional” upbringing meant he did not mix with other children his own age, and spent a lot of time gaming.
Mr Tully said the defendant would disappear into a world of video gaming and become dissociated from the real world.
“Mali did not know how to manage his increasing feelings of frustration and resentment towards Luka,” Mr Tully said, adding that the teen had “genuine remorse” for his actions.
After the sentencing, detective inspector Nadine Partridge of Avon and Somerset Police said: “Our thoughts remain fully with Luka’s family at this difficult time.
“They continue to be updated and supported by specially trained family liaison officers.”