Former Met Police Officers Reinstated After Tribunal Ruling

Two former Metropolitan Police officers, Jonathan Clapham and Sam Franks, have been reinstated after the Police Appeals Tribunal overturned their dismissal for allegedly lying about smelling cannabis during the stop and search of British athlete Bianca Williams and her partner, Ricardo Dos Santos, in 2020. The original disciplinary panel's decision to dismiss the officers was deemed 'irrational' and 'inconsistent' by the Tribunal. Clapham and Franks were previously described as 'dedicated, hard-working and much respected officers' whose reputations were damaged by the initial ruling. The incident, which involved the couple being handcuffed outside their home, gained significant attention after being shared online by Olympic champion Linford Christie, with allegations that the couple was racially targeted. The police justified the stop by claiming the vehicle was on the wrong side of the road and refused to stop when requested. Despite the controversy, the Tribunal's decision allows both officers to return to the Met Police.