Bianca Williams & Santos: Met officers found guilty of gross misconduct in stop and search incident

Two Metropolitan Police officers have been deemed to have committed gross misconduct in a stop-and-search operation involving British world championships medallist Bianca Williams, 29, and Portugal Olympic sprinter Ricardo Dos Santos, 28, in west London. The athletes allege racial profiling during the incident, which occurred in July 2020 outside their Maida Vale residence, while their infant was in the car.

The officers in question, PC Jonathan Clapham and PC Sam Franks, faced accusations of breaching professional standards of police behavior concerning honesty and integrity.

The athletes were searched after the officers suspected the smell of cannabis coming from the car. However, the officers in question were not able to prove themselves.


No drugs or weapons were discovered during the search. The incident was documented by Williams and shared online by their coach, Linford Christie.

A total of five Metropolitan Police officers were involved in the case, with the disciplinary hearing ongoing for the remaining three officers. PC Jonathan Clapham and PC Sam Franks now face potential dismissal from the force.

The athletes filed a complaint with the police watchdog, asserting that they were targeted due to racial profiling, citing the term "DWB, driving while black," as a factor in the incident. The watchdog subsequently initiated proceedings against the officers.

Further updates on the proceedings are anticipated.