Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman: Met chief Cressida Dick 'should go'
- Published
Bibaa Henry (left) and Nicole Smallman were repeatedly stabbed at Fryent Country Park in Wembley
The mother of two sisters whose bodies were photographed by police officers wants Dame Cressida Dick to resign over the way the case has been handled.
Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, were murdered in Fryent Country Park in Wembley in June 2020.
Two Met Police constables who admitted taking and sharing photos of the murder scene were dismissed on Wednesday.
The sisters' mother, Mina Smallman, said of Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida: "It's time for her to go."
Earlier this month, PC Deniz Jaffer, 47, and PC Jamie Lewis, 33, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to misconduct in a public office. They will be sentenced on 6 December.
Following the men's guilty pleas, Dame Cressida apologised to the sisters' family.
She said that what "they chose to do that day was utterly unprofessional, disrespectful and deeply insensitive".
Dame Cressida added: "I know that is the view of colleagues across the Met who utterly condemn this behaviour."
Mina Smallman said her daughters' case was "a starting point" for change
But speaking to ITV's Good Morning Britain Ms Smallman said she had lost faith in Dame Cressida.
She said: "This is the woman who's going to tackle what we're up against in the Met?
"I don't think so. It's time for her to go."
She had previously called on Dame Cressida to "get the rot out" of the Met, but stopped short of calling for her to quit.
Ms Smallman also told Good Morning Britain that her daughters' case was "a starting point" for change.
"I know the Met know they're being watched, their every move, we've drawn attention to that," she said.
PC Jamie Lewis (left) and PC Deniz Jaffer have been warned to expect custodial sentences
Asked about Ms Smallman's call for Dame Cressida to quit the Met Police, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "Mina is a formidable woman and her relentless campaign has led to the awful tragedy of what happened to Bibaa and Nicole being brought to the fore.
"The way these police officers behaved is unacceptable. There can be no excuse for what these police officers did."
Speaking after Wednesday's disciplinary hearing, Met Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends and we deeply regret the additional distress this matter's caused them.
"We're profoundly sorry personally and on behalf of the Met."
Danyal Hussein, 19, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 35 years for murdering Ms Henry and Ms Smallman.
The sisters had been celebrating Ms Henry's 46th birthday when they were repeatedly stabbed by Hussein, from Blackheath in south-east London.
A search of his bedroom revealed he had made an apparent blood pact with a demon to "sacrifice" six women in six months in order to win the lottery.
- Published7 July 2021
- Published6 July 2021
