Lewisham man who killed family said he'd 'make a sacrifice'

Joshua Jacques, 29, of Minard Road in Lewisham, is on trial accused of killing his 27-year-old partner Samantha Drummonds and three other members of her family - her mum 45-year-old Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, her grandmother 64-year-old Dolet Hill and Ms Hill’s partner, 48-year-old Denton Burke. 

This morning (December 4) prosecutor Tom Little KC told jurors how Jacques left a “bloodbath in his wake” at Ms Hill’s terraced home on Delaford Road in Bermondsey in the early hours of the morning of April 25 last year.   

When police arrived they found Mr Burke’s body at the bottom of the stairs and the three women in the kitchen – all four were pronounced dead at the scene.   

Jacques has pleaded guilty to their manslaughters but denies murdering them. 

You can read our full report on that here - Lewisham man ‘murdered girlfriend and three family members in knife attack bloodbath’. 

Dolet Hill and Denton Burke (left), Tanysha (or Rachquel) Ofori-Akuffo (top right), Samantha Drummonds (Image: Met Police)This afternoon Mr Little explained how in the days before the attack Ms Drummonds told her best friend Ayo Omosuyi she believed Jacques was having an “episode” and had been “chatting all night and was fixated on topics”. 

In a voice message sent to Ms Omosuyi on April 24 2022, she said: “Literally like this weekend has just been a myth, like basically in a nutshell Josh is basically getting to the point where he could basically have an episode, like I don’t know what’s triggered him. 

“It’s just a myth innit obviously tomorrow is Monday and obviously doctors are gonna get. 

“He just needs to get his medication innit.” 

Hours before she died, Ms Drummonds told her friend Rutanya Ford: “My partner’s got mental health and we are just trying to sort him out right now… we just need to get him something, some medication to calm him down”. 

She later messaged Ms Omosuyi saying: “Being around the right energy and ppl can really help, obviously still getting the meds”. 

Mr Little told jurors no medical calls were made before the killings nor was Jacques taken to hospital. 

The prosecutor went on: “A couple of hours after Samantha Drummonds’ message stating that the defendant was calm he must have been anything but calm because he then set about attacking all four of his victims over a sustained period of time yet in the course of sustaining minimal injuries himself. 

“Whether he had taken any drugs in the interim or was suffering the effect of having taken any drugs earlier is a matter that we ask that you will want to keep in mind.” 

After midnight Ms Drummonds called the defendant’s mother Norma Derrivere, who heard “Norma he’s sta… sta… ahhh”, which prosecutors say was the “murderous attack” taking place, jurors heard. 

There were also FaceTime calls between Jacques and his mother that evening, and during one, after 2am, he said “I’m ending it, I’m gonna make a sacrifice”, Mr Little told the court. 

Neighbour Alice Canal heard a cat screeching, a male voice swearing, movement, banging and what she believed was someone falling down stairs which prompted her to call 999 at around 1.42am. 

Jurors were told armed officers found Jacques naked and lying in the upstairs bathroom in a praying position, screaming “Allah, take me!”, “Kill me now”, “Get rid of me”, and “God please forgive me”. 

Mr Little said the defendant was heard singing: “I’m coming home, I’m coming home – Lord I am sorry”. 

A large kitchen knife was also found in the living room. 

Later at Lewisham Hospital, Jacques told officers “I ain’t even in the wrong, I did them for sacrifice”, “I will do something stupid again”, “all of them are for sacrifices, you gotta understand the pattern” and “I had to sacrifice for the greater good”, jurors heard. 

The trial continues.