Met Police Officers Reinstated After Appeal Over Bianca Williams Stop and Search Incident

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Two former Metropolitan Police officers, Jonathan Clapham and Sam Franks, have won their appeal to be reinstated after being dismissed last October over their involvement in the controversial stop and search of British athlete Bianca Williams and her partner, Olympic sprinter Ricardo Dos Santos. The Police Appeals Tribunal overturned the previous ruling, which had found the officers guilty of lying about smelling cannabis during the stop, deeming the initial decision “irrational” and “inconsistent.”

BREAKING: Two former Metropolitan Police officers sacked over a stop and search involving British athlete Bianca Williams have been handed their jobs back.https://t.co/xBPx9xbILJ

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— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 4, 2024

 

The incident in question took place on July 4, 2020, when Clapham and Franks stopped Williams and Dos Santos as they were driving home from training in west London with their three-month-old baby in the car. The officers handcuffed the couple and conducted a search on suspicion of drugs and weapons possession, but no illegal items were found. The Metropolitan Police faced public backlash after footage of the stop, which was posted on social media, showed a distressed Williams, particularly concerned about being separated from her infant son.

 

 

Following the incident, a disciplinary panel chaired by Chiew Yin Jones ruled that the officers had breached professional standards regarding honesty and integrity, leading to their dismissal. However, the appeal process has now reversed this decision, with Tribunal Chairman Damien Moore stating that Clapham and Franks were “dedicated, hard-working, and much respected officers” whose reputations had been “ruined” by the original findings. He added, “Both officers did not lie. Both officers will now be reinstated to the Met Police. They should receive back-pay.”

Sacked Met Police officers involved in the stop, search and handcuffing of Olympic athlete Bianca Williams, will have their appeal heard in October.pic.twitter.com/quKT9n25zh

— Michael Morgan (@mikecmorgan) July 29, 2024

 

In the wake of their initial dismissal, public support for Clapham and Franks grew, with an online campaign raising over £150,000 to aid their legal fight. The officers’ reinstatement marks the end of a challenging chapter for both men, who can now return to their positions in the police force.

 

As for Williams, she has continued her athletic career with great success. At the Paris Olympics this summer, she was part of the British women’s 4x100m relay team, which not only qualified for the final but went on to win a silver medal, a significant achievement in her sporting career.

 

Based on a report from The Independent 2024-10-05