Child Q informed she ‘might be arrested’ all through strip-search incident

A black schoolgirl who was once strip-searched by way of Metropolitan Police officials was once informed she “might be arrested” if she refused to conform, a misconduct panel has heard.

The girl, referred to as Child Q, was once strip-searched at her faculty by way of officials in Hackney, east London, on 3 December 2020 after her lecturers wrongly suspected her of sporting hashish.

This concerned the removing of the 15-year-old’s clothes together with lingerie, her bending over and having to show intimate portions of her frame whilst she was once menstruating, the panel has heard.

Trainee Det Con Kristina Linge, PC Victoria Wray and PC Rafal Szmydynski, who had been all constables on the time, deny gross misconduct over their remedy of the girl.

On Thursday, Det Con Linge, who carried out the strip-search along PC Wray, informed the misconduct panel in south-east London she knowledgeable Child Q she “might be arrested” when the girl requested what may occur if she refused to be searched – however claimed there have been “no threat of arrest”.

Elliot Gold, for the Independent Office for Police Conduct, requested: “Will you accept you were giving Child Q the option of being strip-searched or arrested?”

“There were no options given like that,” the officer responded.

“Do you accept that saying that to a 15-year-old might make them feel frightened?” Mr Gold stated.

“Yes,” Det Con Linge replied.

The panel heard that once requested prior to now what the officer had proposed to do if she discovered hashish on Child Q, Det Con Linge had responded: “As per legislation, a juvenile found in possession must be arrested and brought to custody.”

Det Con Linge prior to now stated Child Q had consented to the hunt, however admitted beneath cross-examination by way of Mr Gold that this was once now not correct.

Det Con Linge joined the Met Police in 2018 and was once nonetheless in her probationary duration when the hunt happened.

The officer showed she had finished equality coaching, together with on subconscious bias and discriminatory stereotypes, and stated she was once acutely aware of stereotypes on the subject of black other people.

She informed the listening to she didn’t “see the relevance” of the truth Child Q was once being wondered by way of two white cops.

Mr Gold requested whether or not she would settle for that “a stereotype of black people is they may more likely be stopped and searched” and if she would settle for that they’re much more likely to be “in receipt of use of force by police”.

Det Con Linge responded “no” to each questions.

The 46-year-old agreed there was once no grownup provide within the room the place the hunt took place who may have introduced the kid recommendation, assisted her in verbal exchange with police or ensured her rights had been revered.

Det Con Linge additionally denied she “did not recognise Child Q as a child” and was once, in impact, “treating her as older than she was”.

The listening to continues.