Two Metropolitan Police officers will face a gross misconduct hearing over the stop and search of a black schoolboy.
De-Shaun Joseph was 14 years old and wearing his school uniform when he was detained in Blackhorse Road, Croydon, on 23 June last year.
Police had been responding to a report that a 13-year-old boy had been robbed at knifepoint by four secondary school children at a nearby tram stop. Their grounds for detaining De-Shaun was they believed he was one of the suspects.
Mobile phone footage shows officers forcing him on to the ground face down before handcuffing him.
The police watchdog launched an investigation after De-Shaun’s mother Janet Joseph made a complaint to the Met, alleging the officers used excessive force in restraining and handcuffing De-Shaun, taking him to the floor and kneeling on his back.
It was claimed his treatment was motivated by discrimination because of his race and age and the watchdog also investigated the grounds for the search.
She told Sky News the officers had snatched his mobile phone from him, pinned him against railings and handcuffed him.
She said her son had been left “traumatised” by the incident, which had “massively” affected his education and caused a “big distrust”.
“He is never going to forget that day, the trauma has been implanted,” she said.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said on Tuesday two Met officers – a constable and an acting sergeant who have not been named – will face a gross misconduct hearing.
The hearing will consider alleged breaches of police standards relating to their use of force, their actions and comments during the stop and search, and allegedly discriminating against the boy because of his race and age.
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IOPC director Mel Palmer said: “Mobile phone footage of part of this incident was shared to social media and widely viewed on mainstream news outlets, which led to public concern.
“It was important that we investigated the full circumstances surrounding this incident to determine what occurred.
“We have now decided that two officers have cases to answer for gross misconduct and should face a hearing where a police disciplinary panel will decide whether the gross misconduct allegations are proven.”
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Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain, from the Met’s local policing team in Croydon, said: “We are aware of a decision by the Independent Office for Police Conduct that two officers have been found to have a case to answer for gross misconduct.
“We will now make the arrangements for a hearing to take place. It’s important we don’t pre-judge the outcome of that hearing.
“This was an incident that caused significant community concern and this update may prompt further discussion.”
