Met Police Officers Fired Over Shady Stop and Search of Athletes
Two Met Police officers were sacked for lying during a controversial stop and search involving athletes Bianca Williams and Ricardo Dos Santos. An independent panel slammed PC Jonathan Clapham and PC Sam Franks as untruthful and immediately dismissed them for breaching honesty and integrity rules.
Both officers claimed they smelled cannabis on Mr Dos Santos — but the panel wasn’t buying it.
Was Race a Factor? Panel Says No
The panel found no evidence that race played a part in how the officers treated Dos Santos and Williams. Three other officers caught up in the case – PC Allan Casey, Acting Sergeant Rachel Simpson, and PC Michael Bond – were cleared of any wrongdoing.
“There is no place in the Metropolitan Police for those who do not uphold honesty and integrity,” Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray declared.
Gray thanked the panel for their detailed work and said the force is committed to learning from the incident to improve community relations. She also apologised to Williams and Dos Santos for the distress caused during the drawn-out, three-year process.
Key Panel Findings
- PC Franks and PC Clapham lied about smelling cannabis.
- PC Casey failed to spot the car’s driver or make eye contact before following.
- Mr Dos Santos’s braking caught officers’ attention amid heightened gang tension briefings mentioning a black/dark Mercedes.
- Tinted windows and delayed unlocking raised officers’ suspicion.
- Handcuffing Dos Santos was deemed reasonable, given escape and violence concerns, but they were removed post-search.
- Casey, Simpson, and Bond cleared but advised to reflect on their conduct.
Calls for Reflective Practice
The panel recommended:
- PC Casey review his driving as a trained response officer and consider improvements.
- PC Bond reflect on communication and info handling with colleagues.
- Sgt Simpson focus on tone and word choice when dealing with the public and colleagues, especially in interactions with Ms Williams.
The police watchdog’s report marks a bold move to hold officers accountable and rebuild trust after a high-profile stop and search turned sour.
