Just Giving Campaign Raises £29,000 for Sacked Met Police Officers in Bianca Williams Stop and Search

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Ricardo dos Santos seen being handcuffed by Met Police officers after officers claimed they 'smelt cannabis coming from their car'

A Just Giving campaign has raised over £29,000 in support of two Metropolitan Police officers who were dismissed following the stop and search of Team GB star Bianca Williams and her athlete partner Ricardo dos Santos. The couple, who were pulled over and handcuffed on July 4, 2020, had their then three-month-old son in the car at the time. PCs Jonathan Clapham and Sam Franks were fired for gross misconduct after falsely claiming they smelled cannabis in the couple's car. An online fundraising page, with a target of £2,000, was established to aid the officers and their families during the current cost of living crisis. The campaign has already raised £29,000.

The stop and search of Williams and dos Santos raised allegations of racial profiling by the police. While allegations against three other officers involved were not proven, the actions of Clapham and Franks led to their dismissal. PC Clapham and PC Franks had falsely claimed they smelled drugs during the stop and search. A panel found that their conduct breached professional behavior standards in terms of honesty and integrity, constituting gross misconduct.

In response to the incident, Ricardo dos Santos accused the Met Police of stereotyping black people as drug users, saying it was an attempt to make their search more viable. Dos Santos stated he had never smoked or consumed alcohol in his life and believed the police stopped them because of the color of his skin.

A photo posted by Bianca Williams on her Instagram account showed officers searching their car after they had been handcuffed in front of their three-year-old

 
 
Bianca Williams, following the incident, broke down in tears and expressed thoughts about leaving the UK, citing concerns about her son's future and safety. She remarked on the delay of three years for the misconduct hearing to conclude, asserting it was the sad reality of being a black person in London.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward from the Met Police expressed the force's commitment to new and bolder approaches, including additional training for officers, improved guidance on the use of handcuffs, and more precise engagement in stop and search. The Home Office accountability review is set to investigate the case, which took more than three years to conclude.

The Just Giving campaign highlights the ongoing issues related to stop and search and emphasizes the need to earn the trust of communities, particularly those affected by these actions.



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