Bodycam footage shows shocking moment Bianca Williams and partner handcuffed as officers accused of misconduct
28 September 2023, 16:45 | Updated: 28 September 2023, 17:08
Police body camera footage of Bianca Williams stop-and-search
Police bodycam footage shows the shocking moment Bianca Williams and Ricardo Dos Santos were stopped and handcuffed by police.
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British athlete Bianca Williams, 29, and her partner Ricardo dos Santos, 28, were stopped and searched by police while they were driving through Maida Vale, west London, with their baby son in July 2020.
Now footage has been released by police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), in connection with a misconduct hearing into the behaviour of some of the officers involved in the stop in 2020.
The body-worn footage shows the moment police pull over Mr Dos Santos while he is in his car with Ms Williams and their child.
The five officers surround Mr Dos Santos and repeatedly yell at him to “get out” of the vehicle.
Mr Dos Santos is then heard replying “what did I do?” as he leaves the car and is handcuffed against a wall.
Officers can be heard saying they followed the vehicle because he had, according to their claims, been avoiding the police and they could smell cannabis, which he repeatedly denies.
Meanwhile Ms Williams can be heard saying “he didn’t do anything” and “my son is in the car” as she and her partner are handcuffed.
The officers then reiterate to Ms Williams that they believe they were avoiding police and want to search their car.
Ms Williams responds: “Go and have a look, this is ridiculous.”
Bodyworn video shows the moment two black British athletes were stopped by police
It comes after previous footage of the search went viral online, which showed the moment Ms Williams was stopped and searched by police.
Ms Williams has been giving evidence as part of a gross misconduct hearing against five Metropolitan Police officers who stopped her and her partner Ricardo dos Santos.
Speaking at the hearing on Thursday, Ms Williams said she had “nothing to hide” during the search.
Nothing was found during the search of the pair and they have both since claimed that officers racially profiled them in pulling over their car, handcuffing and searching them for drugs and weapons.
The misconduct panel heard on Thursday that Mr dos Santos has been pulled over multiple times by police.
In evidence, Ms Williams said: “When it gets to 10 times or more, I feel his frustration and I feel it’s tired, it’s difficult, it’s not easy constantly being pulled over for no exact reason.
“He’s repeatedly stopped in our two cars and it’s never been a problem with me. I’m a female and he’s a male - a black male - and black males are 10 times more likely to get stopped.
“It would be interesting to know if I was driving that car whether we’d have been stopped.”
Read more: Over 150 reports of police officers misusing body cameras, investigation finds
Questioning Bianca Williams, Mr James Hines KC, acting on behalf of one of the officers, put it to her that their car was driving at speed away from the police van, which was patrolling the area at the time.
But Ms Williams said: “Ricardo wouldn’t speed with the baby in the car”.
Mr Hines persisted, asking the athlete if she and her partner had ever had a conversation about how he could change his driving behaviour to avoid being pulled over so frequently.
Ms Williams said: “No because he can’t change the colour of his skin.
“If he adjusts his behaviour does that mean he’s going to get stopped less? No it doesn’t. He’s been pulled over so many times.
“It’s hard to constantly keep calm if you’re constantly being pulled over and given a rubbish excuse.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct brought the gross misconduct hearing against five of the officers involved in the stop and search of Bianca Williams and Ricardo dos Santos on 4 July 2020.
Acting Sgt Rachel Williams, PC Allan Casey, PC Jonathan Clapham, PC Michael Bond and PC Sam Franks all denied gross misconduct, as they’re accused of discriminating against the couple because of their race.
They all deny that their actions amounted to gross misconduct.
Gross misconduct is the most serious disciplinary charge a police officer can face. The hearings are set to last until October 27.
It was suggested at the panel hearing that the officers involved were acting out of concern of an increase in gang-related activity in West London in the weeks leading up to the stop.
Showing Ms Williams a map of gang territories in the area, Mr Hines KC said: “There is a gang called the Mozart Gang. And at the time, the Mozart area was considered a high crime area.
“So although your bit is very nice, did you appreciate you lived in a high crime area?”
Ms Williams said: “I didn’t really know that to be honest.”
Mr Hines continued: “Did you know that in the weeks leading up to this incident there had been an increase in knife crime and gang activity in the area.
“Police had been briefed on over 200 offences of violence.”
Ms Williams said: “No, I didn’t”.
The gross misconduct hearing is due to continue over the next month and could result in the five officers facing dismissal from the Metropolitan Police if found guilty.
