Woman strip-searched by two Met officers at 15 unsure if she will 'feel normal again'
A woman who was strip-searched by two Met Police officers when she was 15 has said she does not know if she will "feel normal again".
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Trainee Det Con Kristina Linge and PC Rafal Szmydynski were found to have committed gross misconduct after searching the girl - known as Child Q - in Hackney, east London, in December 2020.
They were sacked on Thursday after a disciplinary panel found their actions over the "disproportionate" and "humiliating" strip search of the girl amounted to gross misconduct.
The search of Child Q was described as "unjustified", "inappropriate", "humiliating" and "degrading".
In a harrowing statement released via Bhatt Murphy Solicitors following the hearing, Child Q said: "Someone walked into the school, where I was supposed to feel safe, took me away from the people who were supposed to protect me and stripped me naked, while on my period.
Read more: Two Met officers sacked over strip search of 15-year-old black girl
"I can't go a single day without wanting to scream, shout, cry or just give up. I don't know if I'm going to feel normal again. But I do know this can't happen to anyone, ever again."
In the hearing, the panel was told that black schoolchildren were more likely to be treated as older and less vulnerable than their white counterparts.
However, age and race were not found factors in Child Q's case.
Panel chair Cdr Jason Prins said the search "was improper and conducted without an appropriate adult".
He added that Child Q's position as a "vulnerable or a potentially exploited child was not adequately considered".
Child Q's mother has called on the police for more answers as to why her daughter was treated the way she was.
She said in a statement: "Professionals wrongly treated my daughter as an adult and as a criminal and she is a changed person as a result. Was it because of her skin? Her hair? Why her?
"After waiting more than four years I have come every day to the gross misconduct hearing for answers and although I am relieved that two of the officers have been fired I believe that the Metropolitan Police still has a huge amount of work to do if they are to win back the confidence of Black Londoners."
On the day of the incident, staff at Child Q's school had called the police following concerns that a 15-year-old girl smelled strongly of cannabis and may have been in possession of drugs.
The two officers then conducted a thorough search of the girl in the medical room at the school, exposing her intimate parts.
No drugs were found.
Cdr Kevin Southworth said in a statement: "The experience of Child Q should never have happened and was truly regrettable."We have sincerely apologised to Child Q since this incident happened.
"Again, I am deeply sorry to Child Q and her family for the trauma that we caused her, and the damage this incident caused to the trust and confidence black communities across London have in our officers.
"Training to our officers around strip search and the type of search carried out on Child Q was inadequate, and our oversight of the power was also severely lacking.
“This left officers, often young in service or junior in rank, making difficult decisions in complex situations with little information, support or clear resources to help their decision-making. “What happened to Child Q was a catalyst for change both for the Met and for policing nationally.
“While we should not have needed an incident such as Child Q to check our approach, it has absolutely led us to improving our processes and significantly reducing the number of these types of searches carried out.
“It’s crucial we get this right to ensure the impact on young people is minimised as far as possible. “Sadly, we know there are children in London being exploited to carry drugs and weapons for others as well as involved in criminality, so these types of searches have to remain within police powers.
"The work we have done since Child Q means we now have the right safeguards in place.”