Officers who handcuffed and restrained a 14-year-old black schoolboy on the ground during a stop and search in Croydon committed misconduct, the police watchdog has said.
Pc McCorley Clewes and former Pc Benjamin Morgan were among four Metropolitan Police officers involved in the stop in Blackhorse Lane, Croydon, on June 23 2022 at about 5.30pm following reports of a stolen mobile phone.
The officers had received a report that four black boys aged around 14, three wearing black puffer coats and one wearing a dark blue hoody, had robbed a phone from a 13-year-old boy.
One of the robbers was said to have claimed they had a knife, although the victim did not report seeing a knife, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.
The boy, referred to as Child B, was spotted alone near the location of the robbery wearing a hoody and was stopped for a search shortly afterwards.
The schoolboy was handcuffed, taken to the ground and restrained.
He remained handcuffed for three minutes while he was searched on the ground and for nearly four minutes after the search had been completed, according to the watchdog.
The boy, who was visibly upset, told officers he had come from school and was wearing his school uniform under the hoody, the IOPC added.
Nothing was found on the boy.
His mother made a complaint to the Met Police which was then referred to the IOPC, who opened an investigation, the watchdog said.
The incident was seen by members of the public and mobile phone footage recorded by a witness was analysed by investigators from the IOPC, along with officers’ body-worn video.
The watchdog said on Thursday that an independent panel, appointed by the Met and headed by a legally-qualified chair, found that the officers’ actions amounted to misconduct relating to the use of force for handcuffing the child for longer than necessary, and for equality and diversity for failing to make reasonable adjustments for the boy.
The allegations that Pc Morgan had repeatedly asked Child B for his details (when he had no power to insist on being given those details) and threatened to contact his school were also found to be in breach of the standard relating to integrity.
Pc Clewes was also found to have breached the standard of authority, respect and courtesy for his manner when speaking to the child’s mother and members of the public.
The officer was given a final written warning for two years and former officer Morgan could not be sanctioned as he had already resigned from the force, the watchdog added.
IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: “Child B was 14, small in stature, and on his own with four officers present during the stop and search.
“The officers failed to take into his account his age, keeping him in handcuffs for longer than necessary after nothing was found during the search.
“Their actions and use of force were clearly of concern to a number of bystanders who raised issues at the time to the officers.”
The watchdog said they had identified learning for the Met Police that mainly related to its policy on visual identification of suspects and its implementation, and had recommended refresher training as part of its investigation.
