Two Metropolitan police officers have been arrested after a photograph was allegedly taken of the bodies of murdered sisters in a London park, the Guardian has learned.
Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, were found stabbed to death in Fryent Country Park in north-west London this month.
They were reported missing after a birthday gathering on Friday 5 June, and their bodies were found on 7 June. Several days later police confirmed they had been stabbed to death by a stranger who was likely to have been injured in the attack and is still at large.
Smallman was a freelance photographer while Henry was a social worker and mother of one. They were daughters of Mina Smallman, the Church of England’s first female archdeacon from a black and minority ethnic background.
A criminal inquiry is under way into an “inappropriate” photo taken at the murder scene, and allegedly sent to a group of people who included members of the public.
It was reported to the Met police’s directorate of professional standards, which referred it to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is investigating. Thewatchdog described the allegations as “sickening”.
Two police officers were arrested on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Both had been deployed to guard the scene after the bodies were found, it is understood.
The investigation will consider whether any criminal charges should be brought or any discipline offences should apply. The family of the two women have been told of the photograph and are said to have been shocked and distressed.
The IOPC said: “The investigation relates to allegations that inappropriate photographs were taken at a homicide crime scene and subsequently shared with a small number of others. The Metropolitan police service is handling matters involving those members of the public who may have received those images.
“Two Metropolitan police constables were arrested by IOPC investigators on Monday 22 June and have been bailed to a later date pending further enquiries.”
Sal Naseem, the IOPC director for London, said: “These are sickening allegations and when we were made aware by the Metropolitan police we acted quickly to arrest the officers involved in order to seize vital evidence. The victims’ family are naturally extremely distressed at this turn of events and we are ensuring that they are updated as our investigation is progressing.”
The two sisters had gathered in a park with friends at about 7pm on 5 June to celebrate Henry’s birthday. They are believed to have stayed behind after their friends left just after midnight, and last had contact with family and friends at 1.05am. They were reported missing the following day and their bodies were not found until about 1pm on the Sunday.
The IOPC is also investigating whether police properly carried out their search after the women were reported missing.
DCI Simon Harding, who is leading the murder inquiry, has said: “They [Smallman and Henry] were in good spirits and taking selfie pictures, listening to music and dancing with fairy lights until at least 1.13am.
“Those lights created a distinctive pattern ... This in itself may have been noticeable to local residents and other users of the park. Did you see the lights at the time and if so can you remember where you were and whether you saw anything suspicious?”
Police say that from about 2.30am, phone calls to the sisters went unanswered. Detectives believe the suspect suffered a “significant injury” during the attack.
Harding previously said: “This is an unthinkably harrowing and tragic incident and my first thoughts remain with Nicole and Bibaa’s close family and friends who are going through the most unimaginable pain and suffering.
“There have been a number of factors involved in both the incident and the aftermath which have required extra time and care in enabling us to create a clear picture of what has taken place. But what we can now say with some certainty is that Nicole and Bibaa were murdered by someone who was unknown to them.”
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Anyone with information can call the incident room on 020 8721 4205, via 101 or tweet @MetCC quoting CAD 3160/7Jun. Alternatively information can be provided online via https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS19Z02-PO1. Information can be provided with 100% anonymity to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
source https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jun/25/two-met-police-officers-arrested-over-photo-of-murdered-sisters
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