Teenager who murdered sisters in London park in 'pact with demon' jailed for life

28 October 2021, 11:34 | Updated: 28 October 2021, 13:12

A teenager who stabbed two sisters to death in north-west London as part of a Satanic pact has been jailed for at least 35 years.

Danyal Hussein - who is 19 - savagely stabbed Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman in a park in Wembley in June last year, in a "pact with a demon".

The court heard how he believed killing women at random, would help him win the lottery.

Hussein had embarked on a "campaign of vengeance" against random women in a failed bid to win the £321 million jackpot, the Old Bailey heard on Thursday.

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, claiming he was not responsible for the killings or for writing the pact.

He was found guilty of two counts of murder and possession of a knife.

Hussein appeared in court via video link from Belmarsh top security jail for "Covid reasons" while the sisters' family sat in court.

Mrs Justice Whipple sentenced Hussein to life in prison with a minimum term of 35 years.

She told Hussein: "In the early hours of Saturday June 6 2020 you brutally murdered Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry.

"You had found these two women. You were a stranger to them. You surprised them, you terrified them and you killed them."

She said Hussein had dragged the bodies away and posed them in an embrace to "defile" them in death.

The judge said the lives of his victims' loved ones had been "shattered".

Addressing the defendant, the judge said: "You committed these vicious attacks. You did it to kill. You did it for money and a misguided pursuit of power."

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.

Earlier, prosecutor Oliver Glasgow QC ruled out a whole life order for Hussein because of his age.

Mr Glasgow said there were "significant" aggravating features, included taking a knife to the scene and destruction of evidence.

He said: "His offending is a product of his belief in Satanism and his belief you could enter into a bargain with a devil."

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.

Last week, 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".

This story is being updated