Joshua Jacques, a 29-year-old man from Lewisham, has expressed deep remorse for the horrific murders of his girlfriend and three members of her family, which he committed while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

During his sentencing at the Old Bailey on Friday (March 1), Jacques’s barrister read out a statement on his behalf. I would like to say to the family of the deceased, I am truly and sincerely sorry for all of the anguish, pain and heartache I have caused,” Jacques wrote, adding, “I am disgusted with myself and I cannot believe that I am the cause of this monstrosity.

The brutal murders occurred when Jacques fatally stabbed his 27-year-old girlfriend, Samantha Drummonds, her mother Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo (45), grandmother Dolet Hill (64), and Ms. Hill’s partner, Denton Burke (58). The bodies were found in a horrifying scene at their home in Delaford Road, Bermondsey.

Mr. Justice Bryan, addressing Jacques during the sentencing, condemned the “horrific catalogue of murders” committed in “the most brutal of circumstances on three generations of the same family.” He attributed Jacques’s actions to his abuse of skunk cannabis and emphasized the dangerous impact of drug abuse on mental health.

Despite Jacques’s claims of mental illness at the time of the murders, the court found him guilty of four counts of murder after a two-hour deliberation by the jury.

Jacques appeared emotionless as he received his sentence, with a cry of “murderer” echoing from the public gallery. He was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 46 years.

In his statement, Jacques also expressed disbelief at his own actions and acknowledged the profound suffering he caused. This remorseful expression came after he previously claimed to have committed the murders as a “sacrifice.”

Victim impact statements revealed the devastating impact of the murders on the victims’ families. Tracey-Ann Henry, the daughter of Ms. Hill and sister of Ms. Ofori-Akuffo, described the nightmarish ordeal as something “from a horror movie.” Meanwhile, Danny Ofori-Akuffo, Tanysha’s husband, recounted the heart-wrenching moment of identifying his wife’s body and the profound anguish he has experienced since.

The sentencing marks the culmination of a tragic and deeply disturbing case that has left a lasting scar on the community of Lewisham.