Two former Metropolitan Police officers, PC Deniz Jaffer and PC Jamie Lewis, have been sentenced to two years and nine months in prison each for gross misconduct in public office. The officers admitted to taking and sharing inappropriate photographs from a murder scene in Wembley where sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman were found deceased. The incident, which occurred in June 2020, involved Jaffer taking 33 photos and Lewis taking an additional two, including images of the victims' bodies.
The court heard that the officers shared these images on WhatsApp. One particularly egregious example involved Lewis superimposing his face onto a photo of the murder scene, placing himself between the two deceased sisters. Jaffer also sent images to members of the public, including two female colleagues, while Lewis shared them with a WhatsApp group of 46 police officers. These actions were described by the prosecution as an 'abuse of trust' and a 'gross breach of duty'.
During the sentencing, Judge Mark Lucraft QC condemned the officers' behaviour as 'despicable' and a 'betrayal of public trust'. He highlighted the profound impact their actions had on the victims' family, stating that they had exacerbated the unimaginable grief of losing two daughters and sisters. The judge also noted that the officers had shown a 'complete disregard for the dignity' of the deceased.
The sisters' mother, Mina Smallman, a retired Archdeacon, delivered a powerful victim impact statement, describing the officers' actions as a 'slap in the face'. She expressed her outrage that the officers had treated her daughters' bodies as 'trophies'. Smallman also criticised the Metropolitan Police's initial response to her daughters' disappearance, suggesting that the force had been slow to act due to their race. She further stated that the Met's apology felt like 'crumbs of comfort' and that the organisation still had significant work to do regarding its culture.
The case has sparked widespread outrage and raised serious questions about police conduct and the culture within the Metropolitan Police. The actions of Jaffer and Lewis were brought to light after a member of the public reported seeing the images. The officers were subsequently suspended and charged, pleading guilty to the offences earlier this year.
Following the sentencing, Commander Paul Brogden, from the Met's Professionalism Command, reiterated the force's apology to the family and acknowledged the damage caused to public trust. He stated that the officers' actions were 'utterly reprehensible' and not representative of the vast majority of Met officers who serve with integrity. The force has indicated it is committed to rooting out such misconduct and rebuilding confidence within communities.