Teenager accused of killing sisters as ‘sacrifice to win lottery’ declines to give evidence at trial

The 19-year-old was identified when DNA at the crime scene matched the national database

Murdered sisters Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27 (PA)

A teenager accused of killing two sisters, allegedly believing he had made a blood pact with a demon in order to win the lottery, will not be giving evidence in his defence, a court heard.

Danyal Hussein, 19, of Blackheath, southeast London, allegedly launched a knife attack on Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, in a north London park on 6 June last year.

They had been celebrating Ms Henry’s birthday but were reported missing when they failed to return home.

Their bodies were found by Ms Smallman’s boyfriend on 7 June – concealed in the bushes in Freyent Country Park in Brent, London.

Police moved to arrest Hussein after DNA at the scene was matched to a member of his family in the national DNA database, jurors at the Old Bailey heard.

After linking Hussein’s DNA with the crime, police officers located CCTV footage that allegedly showed him buying knives in Asda days before the sisters were murdered. CCTV footage also captured an image of a figure returning to his father’s address near Freyent Country Park within hours of the attack.

Mr Hussein was arrested on 1 July 2020 and taken into custody with cuts on his hand, the court heard.

Jurors were told how a search of the teenager’s bedroom uncovered a handwritten “agreement” with a demon to sacrifice women in exchange for winning the Mega Millions Super Jackpot. The agreement had been signed in blood.

Hussein has denied both counts of murder and the possession of a knife.