A British teenager who murdered two sisters in a London park, as part of a pact he believed he had made with demonic forces to kill women every six months in exchange for a future lottery win, has been jailed for a minimum of 35 years.
Danyal Hussein, now 19, stabbed to death Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, in an attack in a park in northwest London in June last year after they had celebrated Henry's birthday with friends.
Metropolitan Police Handout
The sisters' mother is Mina Smallman, the former Church of England Archdeacon of Southend. This week she told the Met Police that “sorry just won’t cut it, it’s too hollow” after the Met apologised for the investigation having a series of errors. She said it showed their “incompetent, reprehensible and blatant disregard of agreed procedures regarding missing persons”.
Two police officers took selfies with the sisters' dead bodies and there were confusions and insensitivities in how the case was handled.
Metropolitan Police Handout
Hussein had carried out the murders to fulfil his side of a "contract" with the demon "Mighty King Lucifuge Rofocale", which he signed using his own blood, promising to "perform a minimum of six sacrifices every six months for as long as I am free and physically capable".
The close sisters had gone to Wembley's Fryent Park to celebrate with friends but stayed alone into the early hours. They took 150 photos, with the last "haunting" picture showing them looking sideways at what police believe was the arrival of Hussein.
"Hussein is a dangerous, arrogant and violent individual who from the outset has shown no remorse or acceptance of his actions," said Maria Green, a detective inspector in London's Metropolitan Police.
"I hope that knowing he will now spend many years behind bars will bring a small degree of comfort to Bibaa and Nicole's loved ones."
Hussein stabbed Henry eight times and Smallman suffered 28 wounds. After the murders, he dragged the bodies into woodland where they were found intertwined the following day by Smallman's boyfriend.
The teenager, who lived with his mother, was traced by bloodstains found at the scene and was arrested almost four weeks later. The police believe only a hand injury he suffered during the murders prevented him carrying out further killings.