[News] Two Met Police officers are sacked after being found guilty of gross misconduct over stop and search of black athletes Bianca Williams and her partner Ricardo Dos Santos

 

Two Metropolitan Police constables have been sacked after they were found guilty of gross misconduct over the stop-and-search of British black athletes, Bianca Williams and her partner Ricardo Dos Santos.

 

 

Jonathan Clapham and Sam Franks were sacked on Wednesday, October 25, after it was found they lied about smelling cannabis when they pulled over Ms Williams, a Team GB athlete, and her Olympic sprinter partner, 28. 

 

They were accused of racially profiling the couple alongside fellow Met officers Acting Police Sergeant Rachel Simpson, Pc Allan Casey, and Pc Michael Bond.

 

 

The police followed the athletes as they drove to their west London home from training with their baby son, then three months old, in the back seat of their Mercedes.

 

 

The panel heard they followed Mr Dos Santos in their police carrier because of the ‘appalling’ and ‘suspicious’ nature of his driving and were doing their duty when they conducted the stop and search.

 

 

The couple were handcuffed and searched on suspicion of having drugs and weapons after they were pulled over outside their property, but nothing was found.

 

Today, the panel found Pc Clapham and Pc Franks had lied about smelling cannabis during the stop and search.

 

Reacting to the finding, Mr. Dos Santos said: ‘We’ve supported the IOPC case over the last three years because it’s highlighted what most black people are far too aware of regardless of their background, education or employment – they are nine times more likely to be stopped by the Met and three times more likely to be handcuffed. 

 

‘The allegations by the police officers that I was guilty of bad driving, threatening violence, and drugs were dishonest. I believe these were false allegations based on racist stereotypes. Very little has changed with policing in London since the Stephen Lawrence case. 

 

 

‘If we can’t trust the police to be honest and accept when they’ve done bad, what hope is there? I don’t think the panel has been brave enough to report that the Met police is institutionally racist. 

 

 

‘The case has taken a big toll on our families and our careers but it’s crucial that those who have a voice use it.’   

 

Chairwoman Chiew Yin Jones said their conduct had breached standards of professional behaviour in respect of honesty and integrity and thus amounted to gross misconduct.

 

 

The Met officers were part of a territorial support group unit who were tasked with helping to cut priority crime such as gang and knife offences.

 

 

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) brought the case against the five officers and said that the detention of Mr Dos Santos and Ms Williams was ‘because they were black’ and was ‘excessive, unreasonable and unjustified’.

 

 

Pcs Casey and Bond and Ps Simpson were found not to have breached any standards.

 

 

The misconduct panel found it proven that Ps Simpson asked Pc Franks if he wanted to take Mr Dos Santos into the vehicle carrier to ‘do a bit of a ferret around his groin and his shoes’ to satisfy himself that everything had been searched, but it was found not proven that she breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of authority, respect and courtesy.

 

 

The panel found it not proven that Pc Clapham and Pc Franks breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of equality and diversity.