Three Metropolitan Police officers involved in the strip-search of a 15-year-old black schoolgirl have been accused of trying to “sweep the incident under the carpet”.
The girl, called Child Q to protect her identity, was wrongly accused of having cannabis and then strip-searched on her period, with no appropriate adult present, in Hackney, on 3 December 2020.
At the gross misconduct hearing, an independent panel heard evidence that trainee Det Con Kristina Linge, PC Victoria Wray and PC Rafal Szmydynski officially made a record of the search five weeks later.
Allegations include that Child Q was discriminated against because of her race and sex. The officers all deny gross misconduct.
The opening day of the hearings heard that no suitable appropriate adult was present during the search and the officers failed to get authorisation at sergeant level or higher before they took action, which goes against police policy.
On the morning of the strip-search, teachers raised concerns and called the safer schools officer to report that they suspected Child Q smelt of cannabis.
Police turned up to the east London school 20 minutes later and the two female officers, PCs Linge and Wray, later carried out the intimate search.
At one point, the panel heard that when Child Q told the officers she was menstruating, they told her “we’re all women here” and she was ordered to bend over, spread her buttocks and cough.
No cannabis was found and a panel heard that a further search of the Child Q’s hair was carried out which also resulted in no drugs being found.
The three officers are accused of “overreacting” and taking a “disproportionate no stone unturned approach” in a manner which was unjustified, inappropriate, disproportionate, humiliating and degrading.
It’s also alleged that no adequate concern was given to Child Q’s age and sex, especially after she removed her sanitary towel.
The panel is also considering if Child Q’s race was a factor and heard that black people are disproportionately more likely to be stopped and searched by police.
PCs Szmydynski and Linge are accused of making a misleading record of the search after its conclusion.
The panel heard they were “reluctant and dismissive” about the details of the search, when it was reported on the police database weeks later.
Details of Child Q’s case were released in a safeguarding report in 2022 which led to widespread protests and calls for urgent action in Parliament.
The panel heard that Child Q would not be giving evidence during these proceedings because she continues to experience trauma after feeling violated and humiliated by the strip-search.
If the officers are found to have breached professional standards amounting to gross misconduct they could be sacked.
