Teen 'sacrificed sisters as part of pact with devil to win the lottery'

9 June 2021, 18:23

A teenager killed two sisters in a brutal knife attack after he sought to make a blood pact with a demon to "sacrifice" them to win the lottery, a court has been told.

Danyal Hussein, 19, allegedly stabbed Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, multiple times in the early hours of 6 June last year.

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, and their bodies were found hidden in a hedgerow the next day.

Jurors were told Ms Henry was stabbed eight times and Ms Smallman was stabbed 28 times.

A combination of forensic evidence and CCTV footage led the police to Hussein. His DNA was at the scene, on the bodies of the victims and on the bloodstained knife found nearby, it was alleged.

Hussein was also said to have allegedly bought a set of knives in Asda and attended hospital the following day from the attack with cuts to his hand from a knife.

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.

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."

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 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.

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.