Wembley double killer Danyal Hussein jailed for life for sisters’ murder
ITV News Correspondent Rebecca Barry has the story of two sisters, killed as they celebrated a birthday
Teenager Danyal Hussein has been jailed for life for killing two sisters in a north London park as part of a Satanic blood pact and will spend at least 35 years locked up.
Hussein, 19, stabbed Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, to death in June last year.
Speaking shortly ahead of sentencing on Thursday Hussein's lawyer, Riel Karmy-Jones, said he was "little more than a child with significant issues" at the time of the killings.
ITV London Senior Correspondent Ronke Phillips has more on the story
She said there remained many unanswered questions, adding: "We hope in time and after some treatment the family will get some answers as to how and why these offences came to happen".
The lawyer added: "He has got a loving family who are devastated by what has happened."
Home Secretary Priti Patel said the government must “ultimately do much more in the protection and the prevention of these abhorrent crimes”.
When asked why missing person cases disproportionately affect Black communities, in relation to how the sisters’ case was originally reported to police, she said: "This is a terrible terrible tragic, tragic case, it really is.
"And I think it’s right actually that questions are being asked within the Metropolitan Police right now.
"We’re very clear not just in our determination that the work that we are doing to stop violence against women and girls, but making sure we do more in terms of preventing abuse and preventing violence."
During Hussein's trail the Old Bailey heard he had embarked on a “campaign of vengeance” against random women in a failed bid to win the Mega Millions Super Jackpot lottery prize of £321 million.
Police tracked him down through DNA and uncovered a handwritten pledge to a demonic entity called King Lucifuge Rofocale to kill six women every six months, which was signed in blood.
Hussein declined to give evidence in his trial and was found guilty two counts of murder and possession of a knife.
'Justice was served in the courts' but what next amid an ongoing investigation, ITV News Correspondent Rebecca Barry explains
Following Hussein’s conviction in July, the sisters’ mother, Mina Smallman, said she had “never come across such evil”.
She went on: “He is a broken human being who, if he had not been caught, four other families may have been suffering what we have.
“Well he ain’t out there now and I think he is so deluded, come 35 years’ time they will not let him out.
“I will not let them.”
Mrs Smallman went on: “There will be no celebrations here but justice has been done.”
In preparation for the killing, Hussein bought knives from Asda and a black balaclava on Amazon and signed up to a lottery betting website.
In the early hours of June 6 last year, he stalked his victims as they celebrated Ms Henry’s birthday in Fryent Country Park in Wembley, north London.
Hussein stabbed Ms Henry eight times, before he slashed Ms Smallman 28 times as she bravely fought back.
He then dragged them into bushes where they lay undiscovered for 36 hours.
During the savage attack, Hussein cut his right hand with the 12cm knife, which he dropped in the grass.
Over the next 10 days, Hussein spent £162.88 on lottery tickets and bets – all without success.
On the evening of June 6, the sisters’ worried loved ones reported them missing, but officers were not deployed to the park until the next day.
Before they arrived, Ms Smallman’s frantic boyfriend Adam Stone, who could not believe she would have left their pet bearded dragon unattended, found the bodies.
Officers then carried out a painstaking search and identified the DNA of an unknown male from blood on the knife, bodies and surrounding scene.
On June 30 last year, in a major breakthrough, a DNA familial link was made to Hussein’s father, who had a past caution.
Within an hour and a half, Hussein was identified on CCTV buying knives in Asda and returning home after the murders.
Searches of his bedroom in south-east London uncovered a book of spells, handwritten demon symbols and two blood pacts.
Jurors were not told of the extent of Hussein’s obsession with demons, spells and potions.
He had come to the attention of police aged just 15 over fears he was vulnerable to radicalisation and violent extremism.
Before the killings, Hussein communicated with others about demons and love potions, and carried out online research about the far-right and Norse mythology.
It is believed he was influenced by the work of an American black magician who has links with a British-based Nazi Satanist group known as the Order of Nine Angles.
Facebook removed his page and Instagram account and YouTube launched a review.
Two police constables have been charged with misconduct in public office after allegedly sharing pictures of the crime scene on WhatsApp, and are due to enter pleas on November 2.
Separately, the Independent Office of Police Complaints concluded its investigation over the response to the initial missing persons reports.
On Monday, the police watchdog found the level of service provided by the Met over the weekend when the sisters went missing was “below the standard that it should have been”.