Athlete was 'nervous' during police stop and search, hearing told

An athlete appeared "nervous and aggressive" during a stop and search, a police misconduct hearing was told.

Ricardo dos Santos, 28, and his partner, Team GB sprinter Bianca Williams, 29, believe they were racially profiled during an encounter with five Metropolitan Police officers.

Body-worn camera footage played to the hearing showed him in handcuffs during the incident on 4 July 2020.

One of the officers denied his actions were because Mr dos Santos is black.

The couple were stopped outside their home in Maida Vale, west London, and had their three-month-old baby with them in their car.

Both were handcuffed and searched on suspicion of having drugs and weapons - and nothing was found.

PC Jonathan Clapham, one of five officers facing misconduct charges, told the hearing that Mr dos Santos was "pacing from side to side, not keeping his hands still, as if he was nervous, avoiding contact with police".

"It appears to me that he had been potentially very nervous and angry and potentially could have had things in the vehicle," he said.

In the footage, Mr dos Santos states he has previously come into contact with police.

PC Clapham said the officers were given no reason for the previous contact and "it again demonstrated an evasive attitude to police" and "it demonstrated to me that he was still trying to hide something".

The situation meant Mr dos Santos "continued to be an unknown quantity", he added.

Mr dos Santos also states on the video that he was previously stopped by police for "DWB, driving while black" and tells them to check his licence which should be in the car.

PC Clapham told the hearing he was "suspicious and fearful" there may have been weapons or drugs in the vehicle and he did not want to give Mr dos Santos the chance to "swallow or discard" items by allowing him to go to the car.

His risk assessment was that it was "operationally necessary" to keep Mr Dos Santos standing against a wall where officers could "control him".

Keeping Mr dos Santos away from Ms Williams, who was standing a short distance away, meant they could not "collude" and it "sanitised the situation and keeps it truthful", according to PC Clapham.

The officer said he acted in response to "the nature of how he drove the Mercedes vehicle, the clear refusal to abide by directions to stop" and "his aggressive persistent behaviour, initially, and his nervous behaviour throughout - that is what affected my dealings with him".

Acting PS Rachel Simpson, PC Allan Casey, PC Clapham, PC Michael Bond and PC Sam Franks deny all charges, including allegations they breached police standards over equality and diversity during the stop and search.

The hearing was adjourned to Monday.

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