Two police officers who shared photos of the dead bodies of two sisters after they were killed in a park today said they were ‘sorry beyond measure for the pain they have caused’ as they admitted misconduct in public office.
Pc Deniz Jaffer, 47, and Pc Jamie Lewis, 32, took ‘non-official and inappropriate photographs’ at the crime scene before sharing them on WhatsApp between 7 and 23 June 2020.
Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, were stabbed to death at Fryent Country Park in Wembley, in the early hours of June 6 after having a picnic to celebrate Ms Henry’s birthday.
Social worker Ms Henry, from Brent, and photographer Ms Smallman, from Harrow, were both pronounced dead at the scene.
The bodies were discovered in the park the following day by Ms Smallman’s boyfriend, Adam, who conducted a search himself after reporting them missing.
The officers were charged with misconduct following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog.
Following their arrest last June 22 both officers were suspended from duty.
Pc Jaffer and Pc Lewis, both based at Forest Gate Police Station in the Met’s North East Command, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and indicated guilty pleas to the charge of misconduct in a public office.
Luke Ponte, representing Jaffer and Lewis, said: ‘I am instructed to indicate a guilty plea on behalf of both defendants.
‘There will be a written basis of plea between now and the pleas being formally entered.
‘They are sorry beyond measure for the pain they have caused.’
The charge said the constables ‘sent information about their attendance’ at the crime scene to members of the public via WhatsApp and ‘took photographs of the crime scene’.
They ‘wilfully and without reasonable excuse’ misconducted themselves in a way which ‘amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust’.
Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring bailed the officers to appear at the Old Bailey on 24 June.
Police previously released pictures of senior social worker Ms Henry, from Brent in north-west London, and photographer Ms Smallman dancing with fairy lights before they were murdered.
The pair had met with friends during the evening to celebrate Ms Henry’s birthday.
Danyal Hussein, 18, from Blackheath, has been charged with two counts of murder and possession of an offensive weapon, and faces trial later this year.