Met PCs suspended over photos of double murder scene

Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry had been celebrating Ms Henry's birthday before they were reported missing

Two Met Police officers have been suspended after "inappropriate photos" were taken at the crime scene of a double murder.

The unnamed officers were arrested by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) on 22 June and have since been bailed.

The bodies of sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman were found earlier this month at Fryent Gardens in Wembley.

Commander Paul Brogden said he was "horrified" by the allegations.

He added senior officers from the Met and the IOPC visited the sisters' family to inform them of the serious allegations.

'Morally reprehensible'

"This deeply disturbing information will no doubt have created additional trauma for a family who are already grieving the devastating loss of two loved ones," Commander Brogden said.

"I am horrified and disgusted by the nature of these allegations; a sentiment which will be shared by colleagues throughout the organisation.

"If true, these actions are morally reprehensible and anyone involved will be robustly dealt with."

Ms Smallman, 27, had been with friends celebrating Ms Henry's 46th birthday at the park on the evening of 5 June.

A 36-year-old man arrested in south London on suspicion of murder was released with no further action.

Detectives believe the sisters were killed by a stranger who repeatedly stabbed them in the early hours of 6 June - their bodies were not found until the following day.

In a statement the Met said two officers from the North East Command unit had both been suspended from duty.

Images recovered from their phones - which were found in a pond - showed the sisters dancing with fairy lights hours before they were killed

The force said its directorate of professional standards was told last week about allegations that "non-official and inappropriate photographs" had been taken at the crime scene.

The IOPC said the pictures were allegedly "shared with a small number of others", adding the Met was "handling matters involving those members of the public who may have received those images".

Since their bodies were found forensic officers have been searching a large area of the park including a pond and have trawled through hundreds of thousands of tonnes of rubbish that was accidently cleared from the scene.

Detectives believe the killer received injuries in the attack "which caused significant bleeding".

The IOPC is also separately investigating how the Met handled calls from worried family and friends of the sisters after they went missing.