police officer “thought he might odor hashish” coming from the automotive of two high athletes, telling a colleague “I’m getting a wee whiff of one thing”, a misconduct listening to was instructed.
Computer Allan Casey instructed a colleague “there’s definitely a whiff of one thing” after sprinter Ricardo Dos Santos his associate and Crew GB athlete Bianca Williams had been stopped and searched on July 4 2020.
Mr Dos Santos and Ms Williams, each worldwide athletes, consider they had been racially profiled throughout a “disturbing” encounter with 5 Metropolitan Police officers who adopted them as they drove to their west London house from coaching with their then-three-month-old boy within the again seat of their Mercedes.
The couple had been handcuffed and searched on suspicion of getting medicine and weapons after they pulled over exterior their property, however nothing was discovered.
On the time I did not assume we might show any offences below the highway visitors act, driving offences
A misconduct listening to in south-east London, the place the 5 officers may very well be sacked if gross misconduct is confirmed, was proven Computer Casey’s body-worn digital camera footage the place he may very well be heard making the feedback, which included him saying “yeah I imply, he, he, the mannerisms”.
He instructed the listening to on Monday: “I believed I might odor hashish and I believed it was coming from the automotive.”
He added: “The behaviour of Mr Dos Santos, pulling away and shouting at my colleagues.”
The Impartial Workplace for Police Conduct (IOPC) watchdog, which the misconduct case has been introduced on behalf of, alleges a number of the officers “lied” in saying there was a odor of hashish once they stopped the automotive, the listening to was beforehand instructed.
The listening to was additionally proven footage of Computer Casey starting to “stroll the route” the Mercedes had taken after Ms Williams, 29, a gold medallist within the 4x100m relays on the 2018 European Championships and Commonwealth Video games, and Mr Dos Santos, 28, a Portuguese competitor within the 400m dash on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, had been out of the automobile.
Requested why he would “stroll the route”, Computer Casey stated: “In case something had been discarded from the automobile whereas it was out of sight.”
Nothing was discovered, he added.
Mr Nicholas Yeo, for Computer Casey, then stated the officer spoke to a different colleague who was asking about Mr Dos Santos’s driving, and requested Computer Casey what his view was on the time as as to if or not there may very well be any offences prosecuted.
Computer Casey stated: “On the time I didn’t assume we might show any offences below the highway visitors act, driving offences.
“I might see there was fast acceleration, heavy braking, however I couldn’t let you know what velocity the driving force was driving at.”
Mr Yeo stated the subsequent day Computer Casey made a witness assertion in relation to the cease, and was later invited to an interview with the IOPC the place he gave a ready assertion.
Appearing PS Rachel Simpson, Computer Allan Casey, Computer Jonathan Clapham, Computer Michael Bond and Computer Sam Franks deny all costs in opposition to them, which embrace allegations that they breached police requirements over equality and variety through the stop-and-search.
Appearing PS Simpson and Pcs Clapham, Bond and Franks additionally face allegations that their actions amounted to a breach {of professional} behaviour requirements in relation to the usage of pressure.
They’re stated to have failed in relation to their ranges of authority, respect and courtesy, in addition to of their duties and tasks.
Computer Casey can be accused of breaching skilled requirements in the best way he carried out his duties and tasks or gave orders and directions.
It is usually alleged that the honesty and integrity of Pcs Casey, Clapham, Bond and Franks breached skilled behaviour requirements.
The six-week listening to continues.
Supply hyperlink
