Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman: The murder of two sisters
The murders of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman on 6th June 2020 sparked national outrage. The attacks were especially senseless and violent, with the sisters being stabbed a combined total of 36 times. The Metropolitan Police also faced widespread criticism for their handling of the case.
Ultimately, two officers were jailed for sharing images of the victims in WhatsApp groups, raising broader concerns about women's safety, racism and police misconduct.
In the following article, the Crime+Investigation team dive deeper into what happened that night, the motives for murder and the probe that led to the arrest of PC Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis.
Who were Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman?
There are many layers to this case, but at the heart of everything are two young women who had their lives tragically cut short.
Bibaa Henry was born on 5th June 1974. As the oldest sister, she was fiercely protective of Nicole. Her nurturing qualities influenced everything she did, including her role as a social worker for Buckinghamshire Council.
Her colleague, Mark Shaw, told reporters: 'She was committed to… supporting children and young people across Buckinghamshire. She will be very much missed by all of us.' Friends and family offered a more intimate insight into her life, revealing she 'had the heart of a lion'.
Nicole Smallman was born much later, on 3rd August 1992. She was a talented and uniquely creative photographer and University of Westminster graduate. While she was more laid-back than her sister, her quiet effervescence was equally mesmerising.
A close family friend said after her death: 'You hear about people lighting up a room when they walk in. But that description is almost too harsh for Nikki. When she walked into a room she was like a nightlight. It was subtle, protective, warm.'
Despite the age difference, the sisters were close, sharing many of the same interests. Sadly, their loving relationship eventually led to their deaths as the duo celebrated Bibaa's birthday deep into the night.
A birthday celebration gone wrong
The evening had been glorious. Along with a group of friends, the sisters had been celebrating Bibaa's birthday with a picnic in Fryent Country Park, London. Despite being subject to social distancing rules, the atmosphere was cheerful and optimistic — after months of lockdown, it felt good to finally get outside.
The guests left the party in dribs and drabs until the sisters were alone. They weren't in any rush, content to spend some much-needed quality time together. At 1:05am, Nicole texted her boyfriend, saying they were dancing in a field by themselves.
That was the last time anyone heard from them. When the women didn't answer subsequent phone calls or messages, the family immediately raised the alarm. Police promised to deploy resources to search the park but failed to do so. On 7th June 2020, two days after their celebration, a small search party took matters into their own hands and found the bodies under a treeline.
Motive and arrest
Police would eventually arrest and charge 18-year-old Danyal Hussein with the murders. He had been looking for victims that night after making a pact with Lucifuge Rofocale — a demon mentioned in Satanist texts. He promised to kill six women every six months in return for winning the lottery jackpot.
Drawing attention to institutional failings, Hussein was known to the police. The counter-terrorism unit monitored him a few years prior when his school raised concerns about his online search history.
The evidence against him was overwhelming. In October 2021, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 35 years.
Police misconduct
Unfortunately, the family's suffering didn't end there. While grieving their unbelievable loss, someone sent an anonymous tip to the police watchdog, accusing two Met officers of distributing images of the victims in WhatsApp groups.
PCs Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis were supposed to be guarding the scene. Instead, they cruelly took photos of the women and sent them to colleagues. A further six officers were also investigated for failing to report the behaviour. In one shocking message, Lewis wrote: 'I'm sat next to two dead birds full of stab wounds.'
In a victim impact statement, the sister's mother, Venerable Mina Smallman, said: 'It made me think of the lynchings in the Deep South… where you would see smiling faces around a hanging dead body... Those police officers dehumanised our children.'
Since her daughters’ deaths, Mina has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of racism, discrimination and abuse of power in the police force.
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