Night, so often a sweet and benign presence, had engulfed him at last.

It was a reign in which he was a largely benign presence, clearly a huge fan of the club.

Over the years we have gradually come to see sharks as a more benign presence in the sea.

Sitting in repose, smoking his ever-present pipe and conversing quietly, he gave the impression of a benign presence.

I have always thought of online dictionaries as one of the many benign presences on the web; useful, free and yet embodying so much human effort.