Walsall murder victim's family outraged as killer marries paedophile behind bars

Marc Goodwin, 31, who is serving life for killing Walsall-born Malcolm Benfold, married paedophile Mikhail Gallatinov, 40, at a maximum security prison in Yorkshire.

The brother and sister of the 57-year-old victim have blasted the authorities for allowing the wedding to take place.

Four family members are reported to have attended the 15-minute ceremony, during which the prisoners wore suits.

The wedding came at no cost to the public purse and the pair will not be allowed to share a cell, a prison service spokesman said.

"We are very clear that if prisoners do get married, the taxpayer does not foot the bill for the ceremony and they are certainly not allowed to share a cell," he said.

Goodwin battered Mr Benfold to death on Blackpool sea front in 2007. He was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years.

At his trial, the court heard that Scottish-born Goodwin had talked about 'gay bashing' before the attack.

After his conviction, police described the murder as 'a savage, senseless homophobic attack that resulted in the death of a harmless man'.

Tony Benfold, brother of Malcolm, said: "I'm disgusted.

"I want to know why permission was granted for this to go ahead and why my family wasn't consulted.

"We were never given a chance to say our piece."

The 68-year-old Wolves fan, who was brought up in Walsall and Cannock but now lives in Southampton, said: "How can you go out and kill a man for being gay and then have a gay wedding in prison? I can't see any logic in it.

"It crossed my mind that this could be a trick to get early release by showing they have built new lives."

Wendy Bridge, the victim's sister, who has visited Goodwin in jail as part of a restorative justice programme, said: "I don't object to a prisoner having a wedding but when it's two murderers marrying each other, that's wrong.

"Marriage should be something to aim for when they get out, to build a home and a new life with someone.

"But when it's two lifers together, having a ceremony behind bars, it shouldn't be allowed."

The 64-year-old, who lives in Merseyside, visited father-of-three Goodwin in jail two years ago and found him remorseful.

She said: "I don't hate Goodwin, and want him to leave jail a better person, but I don't think this is the way to do it.

"Inmates, particularly murderers, should be denied some of the rights that ordinary people have, like marriage. They are not normal members of society."

She said the actions of her brother's killer were sparked by his own secret refusal to accept he was gay.

She said: "Goodwin was heard to say 'let's go gay-bashing', before he killed Malcolm.

"When I spoke to him in jail he said he'd always thought he was gay but didn't want to admit to himself. Now, he told me he'd spoken to counsellors and was saying it in front of his friends.

"If he could have accepted his sexuality earlier, and forgot about his pretend macho image, my brother might still be alive."

On the day of the murder, Goodwin had met up with two others. They had been drinking and it was decided they would go to a well-known gay area to get more money for alcohol.

Mr Benfold was also with two men when the gang struck but they managed to escape.

He was hit by a bottle and fell to the ground where he was brutally kicked and punched, suffering fatal head injuries.

Gallatinov, described in court as a predatory paedophile with convictions for offences against children, was sentenced to life for murder after strangling Adrian Kaminsky, 28, in Manchester in 1997.

He could be eligible for parole in two years.

His mother was reported as saying she was 'proud' of him for the making history with the wedding.