Life in jail for teen who strangled his sister, 19

A 17-year-old boy has been jailed for life for murder after strangling and stabbing his sister.

Mali Bennett-Smith had told police he killed 19-year-old Luka in Bristol on 20 October last year because he felt she had been bullying him.

Sentencing him at Bristol Crown Court on Monday, Judge William Hart said their parents had effectively lost two children.

"The horror of the loss of their daughter at the hands of the son they still love is beyond even the worst nightmares," said the judge, lifting reporting restrictions on Bennett-Smith's name.

The court heard Bennett-Smith held Luka in a headlock before stabbing her repeatedly at their home in Cromwell Road in the St Andrews area of the city.

He rang emergency services 20 minutes later and told police his sister was "annoying" and he had wanted to kill her.

The court heard Bennett-Smith moved to the UK from New Zealand with his sister and mother after his parents divorced.

He joined the Army through a college course but later dropped out, the court was told.

In a prepared statement he gave to police after the murder, Bennett-Smith said he felt his sister bullied him.

"After watching a video, I went downstairs to the lounge and I asked Luka if I could practice a headlock on her," he told officers.

"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."

Avon and Somerset Police said Bennett-Smith was arrested at his home and charged with murder two days later.

Ray Tully KC, defending, said Bennett-Smith spent a lot of time gaming and would become dissociated from the real world.

Mr Tully added Bennett-Smith has severe dyslexia and dysgraphia – learning disabilities that affect reading and writing.

He told the court: "Mali did not know how to manage his increasing feelings of frustration and resentment towards Luka."

He said Bennett-Smith had "genuine remorse" for his actions.

Judge Hart 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."

After the sentencing, Det Insp 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."

Bennett-Smith was jailed for life with a minimum term of 10 years and five months.

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