A heartbroken lady has revealed how her sister and her two-year-old niece have been lured to a man’s ‘home of horrors’ the place they have been murdered and buried below his kitchen ground.
Bennylyn Burke, 25, and her younger daughter, Jellica Burke, then 2, have been from the Philippines however dwelling in Bristol and her older sister Shela Aquino, has spoken of how the complete household have been so happy with her generous, intelligent sibling who had moved to the UK for a better future.
But then she met stranger, Andrew Innes, 52, on a courting web site. who persuaded Bennylyn to include him 440 miles to his residence in Dundee, Scotland, the place he murdered her with a hammer and samurai sword, earlier than sexually abusing and strangling toddler, Jellica, to dying.
Innes has just lately been sentenced to life at the High Court in Edinburgh and should serve a minimal of 36 years.
Shela, a stay-at-home mum, mentioned: ‘My sister bravely left residence to search a better future herself and her daughter in the UK.
‘Instead, she discovered the worst cruelty conceivable by somebody she trusted. I dwell in agony fascinated by their remaining moments.’
Growing up, Shela and her sister, Bennylyn, lived with their mother and father and siblings in the Philippines.
Bennylyn was very intelligent, and was an honour pupil, and typically made her household proud.
Shela says: ‘Bennylyn wasn’t simply my sister. She was my finest buddy.
‘Back residence in the Philippines we grew up very poor. But we at all times made the most of what we had.’
In 2015, when Bennylyn was 20, she met a British man visiting the nation and they fell in love and obtained married.
Three years later, in 2018, Bennylyn fell pregnant and gave beginning to her daughter, Jellica.
Shela says: ‘Watching Bennylyn turn out to be a mum made me very proud.
‘Jellica was Bennylyn’s world. I adored my little niece too and beloved babysitting her.
‘But the subsequent 12 months, in 2019, Bennylyn’s husband satisfied her to transfer again to his hometown in the UK.
‘He promised Bennylyn that Jellica would have a better schooling and future there.
‘My household and I have been gutted however I understood she wished a better future for her little one.’
After six months in the UK, Jellica’s marriage fell aside. But by then, she’d fallen in love with England and knew it was a better life for her little woman.
In March 2020, she moved to her personal flat in Bristol, and discovered a job as a promoting vacuum cleaners on-line.
Shela says: ‘She continuously despatched us cash, to assist us out. She even helped her mates and was so generous.
‘She dreamed of opening her personal enterprise sooner or later. Every day, we chatted on video-call. I missed them.’
Shela and her sister stayed in contact continuously, and the following 12 months, in February 2021, Shela video-called her sister, as traditional.
Shela says: ‘She mentioned she was in Andrew’s automotive and that he was taking her and Jellica to his residence in Dundee, Scotland.
‘I did not know who he was, and was confused. But she shortly defined they’d just lately met on a courting web site.
‘Suddenly, she pointed the digital camera to a man driving. He had pale pores and skin, thinning hair and appeared a lot older than Bennylyn.
‘He smiled and mentioned hi there to me, so I waved hi there again to him. He mentioned the way it was good to meet me and started speaking about how his ex-wife and youngsters have been from Japan.
‘Our name was minimize quick and I instructed Bennylyn to name once more when she arrived.
‘After the name, I had a bizarre feeling about Andrew. Especially as they’d met on-line. I discovered him on Facebook and noticed loads of photographs of his Japanese ex and his youngsters.’
Hours later, Shela obtained one other name from Bennylyn, who instructed her they’d been sight-seeing round Dundee all day.
Shela says: ‘She then put the video on and confirmed me the kitchen, front room and TV. I additionally observed a samurai sword in the again. Jellica was taking part in in a nook.
‘While we have been chatting, I heard Andrew inform Bennylyn he was going to the outlets. But when Bennylyn requested to go, he mentioned no and that he would not be lengthy.
‘I instructed my sister to be secure and she promised to textual content once more shortly. We mentioned goodbye.’
After that, Shela continued checking up on Bennylyn however did not hear again from her.
She known as and texted continuous for days and frantically messaged her mates.
Shela mentioned: ‘Days later, I discovered Andrew’s Facebook once more and begged him to inform me the place Bennylyn and Jellica was.
‘I requested in the event that they have been alive and to ship me a video as proof. He replied with outdated movies of them in Bristol and instructed me not to fear.
‘My dad and I felt sick with fear. We had a horrible feeling one thing occurred to them.’
Days later, Innes messaged Shela ‘Scotland is a very peaceable nation, we do not have a lot crime in any respect.
‘Please attempt not to fear, I’m positive your sister is completely secure.’
After lacking for two weeks, Shela obtained a name from the Scottish Police that Bennylyn and Jellica have been lifeless.
Soon, it was revealed shortly after Shela’s video-call, Andrew went to the B&Q to purchase cement and a hammer.
When he returned, he beat Bennylyn on the head with the hammer.
He then stabbed her with a samurai sword, earlier than bludgeoning her with the deal with of the blade and the hammer.
Days later, he raped Jellica and strangled her to dying.
He put their our bodies in rubble luggage and hid them in concrete below the kitchen ground.
Police tracked his automotive by way of CCTV driving from Bristol to Dundee and arrested him at his residence.
After his arrest, Innes admitted all the things and instructed them he’d achieved it as a result of they reminded him of his previous household.
Shela says: ‘Thinking about what Bennylyn and Jellica went by way of tore us into items. We simply could not fathom it.
‘It was like one thing out of a horror movie. How may somebody try this to my sister? And an harmless little woman? Jellica was solely two.’
Time handed and as the trial approached in February 2022, Shela and her household flew to the UK and confronted Andrew at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Shela says: ‘In courtroom, we found Andrew had focused all Asian ladies on the courting app days earlier than he spoke to my sister.
‘He gave ladies prime scores who have been of their late 20s with younger kids.
‘He’d focused Bennylyn and promised her a good life and lured her and Jellica to Dundee that day.’
That week, Andrew Innes, 52, of Dundee, was discovered responsible murdering and sexually assaulting Jellica. He was additionally discovered responsible of murdering Bennylyn.
He was sentenced to life and had to serve a minimal of 36 years at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Shela says: ‘Although we had justice, nothing would ever deliver them again.
‘Bennylyn was the kindest, sweetest sister. She had so many hopes and desires.
‘Jellica was an harmless little one along with her complete life forward of her. The gentle in our lives has been cruelly sniffed out.’
