Met Police Officers Found Guilty of Gross Misconduct

Two Met police officers who took crime scene photos and described murdered sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman as "dead birds" on social media have been found guilty of gross misconduct at a tribunal.

Pc Jamie Lewis, 33, and former officer Deniz Jaffer, 47, used the offensive term when sharing messages on WhatsApp groups after straying from their cordons to take pictures of the two women, who were found dead in bushes in Fryent Country Park, Wembley, north-west London in June 2020.

Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball, chairing an accelerated tribunal in west London said

"This was hurtful, dishonest and unprofessional behaviour of the utmost seriousness.

"I am sorry that our officers behaved in such a hurtful, disrespectful and criminal way. Their actions are shameful."

In a statement, AC Ball added;

“The behaviour of PCs Lewis and Jaffer that day was shameful and fell very far below the standards we expect of all our officers. We do not want officers who act in such an unprofessional and disrespectful manner to be part of the Metropolitan Police Service.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman and we deeply regret the additional distress this matter has caused them. I am profoundly sorry, both personally and on behalf of the Met.

“The behaviour of PCs Lewis and Jaffer initially came to light because someone had concerns and anonymously reported them. I thank them for doing the right thing; we encourage all our officers and staff, and indeed members of the public, to report wrong-doing and we will act on those reports.”

Lewis will be dismissed from the Metropolitan Police immediately, and Jaffer, who has already quit the force, would have been dismissed without notice if he was still a serving officer.

Both officers, who were based at the North East Command Unit, will also be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

The pair have already been warned they face "lengthy" jail terms when they are sentenced next month for misconduct in a public office.

Neither Lewis nor Jaffer attended the misconduct hearing, and neither disputed the evidence.

The hearing opened with a minute's silence in memory of the victims and their families.

Jaffer, of Hornchurch, east London, and Lewis, from Colchester in Essex, are due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on December 6.

Satanist Danyal Hussein, 19, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 35 years for murdering Ms Henry and Ms Smallman.