Sprinter 'feared for family' during police search

A black professional athlete has said he was afraid for his family when police pulled him over during a stop and search in west London.

Ricardo Dos Santos and his partner, British sprinter Bianca Williams, were restrained and handcuffed by Met officers while their three-month-old was in the back of their Mercedes in Maida Vale in July 2020.

Nothing untoward was found in the car.

The couple believe they were victims of racial profiling.

The incident, a video of which was circulated on social media, led to the Met referring itself to police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Five officers face dismissal if the IOPC finds them guilty of gross misconduct.

Portuguese sprinter Mr Dos Santos told the disciplinary hearing he had not broken any rules of the road when he was told to pull over.

He said he was not trying to "evade" the police or driving dangerously, and that he was "just trying to get home" because he feared for the safety of his family,

He added: "As a young black person I've been stopped on multiple occasions by police.

"These are very traumatic experiences and my experience is very different to those of others.

"You have no idea how it feels to be accused of things you haven't done as a young black person in London."

Mr Dos Santos and Ms Williams both claim they were targeted because they are black.

Dashcam footage from the Met Police vehicle which followed Mr Dos Santos' blacked-out car was shown at the disciplinary hearing.