Wembley park stabbings: Teenager ‘killed two sisters after seeking deal with devil to win lottery’, court hears

Tap above to watch video report by Chloe Keedy

A teenager killed two sisters after seeking to make a blood pact with a demon to “sacrifice” women in exchange for winning the lottery, a court has heard.

Danyal Hussein, 19, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of repeatedly stabbing Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, in a park in the early hours of June 6 last year.

Friends found the women’s bodies intertwined and concealed in a hedgerow the next day.

Police allegedly uncovered a handwritten note in Hussein’s home purporting to make a bargain with a demon to “sacrifice” six women in six months in exchange for winning a jackpot.

It was allegedly signed in the defendant’s own blood.

The note, which was read in court, said: “Agreement for the Lucifuge Rofocale.

“Perform a minimum of six sacrifices every six months for as long as I am free and physically capable.

“Sacrifice only women. Build a temple for you. Do everything that I have promised.

“For me, win the Mega Millions Super Jackpot, to receive fruitful rewards in return for the future sacrifices I make to you.

“The rewards could consist of wealth and power. To never be suspected of any crimes by the police and also that the police will never know of any crimes that I have done and that I will do.

“Signed by, Me Danyal.”

Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow QC told jurors: “His plan could not be clearer – to sacrifice women in exchange for personal profit and never be suspected of having done anything wrong.”

The day after the killings, Hussein allegedly spent £17.50 on 10 Mega Millions bets and two Mega Millions syndicate bets, having set up an account in advance.

Mr Glasgow said: “He did not win any money with any of these tickets, and since he is now in the dock on trial for murder it would appear that his plan to kill women, win the lottery and get away with his crimes has been an abject failure.”

The victims’ mother Mina Smallman and other family members sat in court as Mr Glasgow set out the prosecution case on Wednesday.

He said the sisters had planned a get-together in Fryent Country Park in Wembley, north-west London, to celebrate Ms Henry’s birthday during the first lockdown.

The two women decided to stay on after their guests had left and lit fairy lights, listened to music and danced.

When they failed to come home, their loved ones became concerned and friends went back to the park to search.

Police were alerted after the women’s glasses were discovered by the searchers.

A few moments later a knife was found lying in the grass.

A trail of flattened grass led to the “shocking” discovery of the bodies, Mr Glasgow said.

He said: “The bodies of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman lay on their sides, they were top to toe and their limbs were intertwined, both of them had been repeatedly stabbed and they were clearly dead.

“The attack upon them had been as savage as it was devastating.”

Ms Henry was stabbed eight times and Ms Smallman was stabbed 28 times, jurors heard.

Mr Glasgow suggested Ms Henry was taken by surprise and overpowered first, then Ms Smallman attempted to fight off her attacker.

“Once the two sisters had been brutally murdered, their killer dragged their bodies across the grass and concealed them in a hedgerow,” he said.

The court heard that a combination of forensic evidence and CCTV footage led police to Hussein.

His DNA was at the scene, on the bodies of the victims and on a bloodstained knife found nearby, it was alleged.

In addition, he had allegedly bought a set of knives in Asda and a full face mask and shovels on Amazon.

The day after the killing, Hussein went to hospital with cuts to his hand from a knife, claiming he had been attacked by a group of boys, jurors heard.

Investigators uncovered the handwritten note in the defendant’s bedroom setting out his intention to kill women “as part of a sacrifice to secure personal advantage for himself”, Mr Glasgow said.

Three lottery tickets were folded up inside the agreement with the demon, he said.

The court was told Hussein did not accept it was him in CCTV footage or that any of the blood and DNA evidence was found because he had been present at the scene or taken part in the violence.

Hussein, of Guy Barnett Grove, Blackheath, south-east London, has denied double murder and possessing a knife.

The trial before Mrs Justice Whipple was adjourned until Thursday.