Two police officers who took pictures of murdered sisters for a “cheap thrill” have been jailed for two years and nine months.

Pc Jamie Lewis and Pc Deniz Jaffer were assigned to guard the scene after Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, were found dead in bushes in Fryent Country Park, Wembley, north-west London.

Instead, the officers moved from their posts to take photographs of the bodies, which were then shared with colleagues and friends on WhatsApp.

One was a “selfie-style” image on which Lewis had superimposed his face.

The officers’ “shameful” behaviour also included describing the victims as “dead birds” on WhatsApp groups.

Read more >> Police officer from Colchester jailed for sharing photos of bodies at murder scene

Jaffer, 47, of Hornchurch, east London, and Lewis, 33, from Colchester, pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office.

On Monday, Judge Mark Lucraft QC rejected an appeal for the officers to be spared custody, jailing each of the men for two years and nine months.

Judge Lucraft said: “The public expects, and rightly so, the highest of standards from police officers.

“I am sure there will be many thousands of officers in police forces in this country and abroad utterly horrified by your actions.

“It is appalling and inexplicable conduct.

“Here, the two of you not only violated the police cordon, with the effect that had on the scene and on the investigation, but then wholly disregarded the privacy of the two victims of horrific violence and their families for what can only have been some cheap thrill, kudos, a kick or some form of bragging right by taking images and then passing them to others.”

Gazette: Jamie Lewis and Deniz Jaffer who have been jailedJamie Lewis and Deniz Jaffer who have been jailed

Afterwards, the Metropolitan Police apologised to the victims’ family for the defendants’ “shameful” and “utterly unprofessional” actions.

Graham Beesley, regional director for the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), said: “A shift in attitudes, culture and behaviour is required to ensure this never happens again.”

Speaking outside court, the victims’ mother, Mina Smallman, was “thrilled” at the sentence but said there was more work to be done.

She told reporters: “We’ve been to hell and back again.

“Most of our police force are amazing and do an amazing job, but there is an element that has taken over the culture of how they banter.”

She rejected the officers’ expressions of remorse, saying: “I bet they are sorry and tortured that they tortured their family.

“I bet they get stick everywhere. That’s not the same as feeling shame.”