A black man who accused Metropolitan Police officers of racial discrimination after they stopped and searched him but not his white friend has reached an out-of-court settlement with the force.
Tallan Bent, 36, was sitting on his bike talking to a friend in a parked car in Lewisham, south-east London, in April 2020 when two police officers pulled over.
They handcuffed and searched Mr Bent under the Misuse of Drugs Act because they felt he was wearing two many layers of clothing for the time of year and using a bike that was too small for him.
His white friend was not searched and neither was the car.
Nothing illegal was found on Mr Bent.
The father-of-three complained to the force and the Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog before beginning legal action funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The Met settled the claim before it went to court and has not admitted liability.
In a statement issued through his solicitor Deighton Pierce Glynn, Mr Bent said: "I'm very disappointed with the way I was treated by the police.
"I find it hard to believe that the police are still targeting young black men.
"The only reason for this seems to be racial discrimination and it has to stop.
"I hope that by bringing my claim against the police I have shone a light on their failure to respect my rights and I want people who experience mistreatment by the police to know that they can make their voice heard.
"I find it shocking that the complaint took so long to resolve and I strongly believe the complaints process needs reform."
The amount paid to Mr Bent, a security officer at the Houses of Parliament, has not been revealed.
A Met spokesman said: "The Met received a claim in relation to the stop and search of a man under the Misuse of Drugs Act on April 21, 2020, in south-east London.
"The claim was settled before proceedings were issued and without any admission of liability."
An Equality and Human Rights Commission spokesman said it will continue to monitor the use of stop and search by police.
"As Britain's equality regulator, our legal support fund helps individuals to seek justice by covering the costs of legal action in race discrimination cases," he said.
"The law is clear: no one should be subjected to harassment or discrimination due to their race or ethnicity, either at work or elsewhere.
"We have longstanding concerns about the disproportionate use of stop and search by the police. We will continue to monitor this."
