Two former Metropolitan Police officers have been jailed for two years and nine months after taking inappropriate photographs at the scene of the double murder of sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman in Wembley.
The parents of 46-year-old Bibaa and 27-year-old Nicole are Chris and Wilhelmina Smallman, known as Mina, who live in Ramsgate.
Deniz Jaffer, 47, and Jamie Lewis, 33 – previously both PCs at the North East Basic Command Unit – were sentenced at the Old Bailey on Monday, 6 December having previously pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office.
Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball, Professionalism, said: “Our thoughts are once more with the family and friends of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman. I am so sorry that during the most difficult time in their lives the actions of these two officers caused them so much additional pain and distress.
“Former PCs Jaffer and Lewis have been punished for their actions which were utterly unprofessional, disrespectful and deeply insensitive.
“All of us in the Met and wider policing are horrified by their shameful behaviour.”
An accelerated misconduct hearing was held for the officers on Wednesday, 24 November.
The hearing was to determine allegations their actions breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in relation to discreditable conduct, honesty and integrity, equality and diversity, authority, respect and courtesy, duties and responsibilities, confidentiality and challenging and reporting improper conduct.
The allegations were all found proven. PC Lewis was dismissed without notice and it was determined that former PC Jaffer, who had resigned, would have been dismissed without notice had he still been a serving officer.
Both former officers have been added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.
The sisters were killed in the early hours of Saturday, 6 June 2020 with their bodies found the following day.
During the early hours of 8 June 2020, PC Jaffer and PC Lewis were placed on the cordon to protect the crime scene. They left their posts to take pictures on their mobile phones of the victims and the crime scene.
PCs Jaffer and Lewis shared images with other officers via WhatsApp. PC Jaffer also shared images with members of the public, including pictures of the victims.
PC Lewis created an image on his phone in which he superimposed his own face in a ‘selfie’ pose in front of the bodies. He shared this image with PC Jaffer.
Both officers belonged to one WhatsApp group called the ‘A Team’ which had 41 officers as members. Images were shared to that group of the crime scene, but not of the victims.
PCs Jaffer and Lewis both used the disrespectful and derogatory term “dead birds” to describe the victims while sharing the images.
Followed the reported allegations, the MPS made a referral to the IOPC, which launched an independent investigation. PC Jaffer and PC Lewis were arrested on Monday, 22 June 2020 by the IOPC on suspicion of misconduct in public office. They pleaded guilty to the offence on Tuesday, 2 November 2021.
