Thousands raised for officers dismissed after stop and search of athletes

An online fundraiser for two Met Police officers sacked over the stop and search of two black athletes has attracted almost £19,000 in donations.

PC Jonathan Clapham and PC Sam Franks were dismissed yesterday after a disciplinary hearing found them guilty of cross misconduct for lying about smelling cannabis when they pulled over Olympic competitors Ricardo dos Santos and his partner Bianca Williams.

A JustGiving page was created at around 8pm yesterday “in order to support” the two officers financially during the cost of living crisis.

The fundraiser, named only as UK, set a £2,000 target.

A statement on the page said: “This comes at a time of great austerity where both will be affected by mortgage payments, food bills and general cost of living.

“Every penny will go to the support of the officers and their families.”

Among the hundreds of donations some have been made by people who say they are retired officers.

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Sprinter Mr dos Santos, 28, was stopped along with his partner and fellow Team GB star Ms Williams, 29, in their Mercedes with their three-month baby son outside their home in Maida Vale, west London, on 4 July 2020.

A police disciplinary panel found the officers’ claims of smelling marijuana when they stopped the vehicle were made-up and the pair were dismissed for gross misconduct.

Three other officers involved in the arrest, which saw the couple handcuffed and searched for drugs and weapons, were cleared of any wrongdoing.

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The disciplinary hearing was shown footage of PC Casey “walking the route” the couple had driven to check nothing had been thrown from the car.

Nothing illegal was found in their car or in their possession, despite them being held for 45 minutes, the hearing was told.

PC Casey also told the panel he did not think any driving offences could be proved against Mr Dos Santos.

During their arrest, a tearful Ms Williams could be heard begging officers to let her comfort her crying child.

Mr dos Santos also remonstrated with police, telling them their son was in the car as they were dragged from the vehicle.

At one point bodyworn footage showed the officers suggest the couple had “antagonised” them and “may have something to hide” as Ms Williams was handcuffed.

Four other allegations against PC Clapham and PC Franks were found not proven by the panel.

The Independent Office For Police Conduct (IOPC) brought the case against the five officers and said the detention of Mr dos Santos and Ms Williams was “because they were black” and was “excessive, unreasonable and unjustified”.

Karon Monaghan KC, for the IOPC, told the panel at the start of the hearing there is “institutional discrimination” in the Met Police.

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.

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