A misconduct hearing for three Metropolitan Police officers involved in the strip-search of a 15-year-old Black schoolgirl, known as Child Q, has officially begun. The search, conducted in December 2020, has been widely condemned as deeply humiliating, unjustified, and a stark example of institutional racism within UK policing.
The ordeal unfolded at a school in Hackney, East London, where teachers alerted police over suspicions that Child Q was carrying cannabis. Despite finding no drugs in her possession, Trainee Detective Constable Kristina Linge, PC Victoria Wray, and PC Rafal Szmydynski proceeded with an invasive strip-search, without any appropriate adult present, and while she was on her period.
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The search yielded no contraband, yet Child Q was left traumatised, later telling investigators that she felt “violated.” An official safeguarding report found that racism was likely to have played a role in the officers’ decision to proceed with the strip-search in such a manner.
Following the exposure of Child Q’s ordeal, widespread public outrage ensued. Protests erupted across London, with activists and politicians demanding a fundamental overhaul of police strip-search policies, particularly in schools. The case has reignited concerns over the treatment of Black and ethnic minority children in the UK’s criminal justice system.
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Data revealed that in the span of two years, more than 650 children were strip-searched by Met officers—23 percent of whom were Black, disproportionately higher than other demographics. This led to renewed scrutiny over the Met’s racial profiling practices and prompted fresh calls for reform.
The three officers now face gross misconduct charges, accused of failing to safeguard the child’s dignity and breaching key protocols. They deny the allegations, but if found guilty, they could be dismissed from the force.The hearing, which is expected to last three weeks, will examine whether the officers acted with justifiable cause or discriminatory bias. The outcome of the inquiry will be closely watched, as it may shape future police procedures and influence the growing debate on racial justice in UK law enforcement.
The inquiry is a critical moment for policing accountability, with the UK public, human rights advocates, and legal experts demanding that justice be served—not just for Child Q but for the countless other children subjected to similar mistreatment.
As the hearing unfolds, pressure mounts on the Metropolitan Police to acknowledge its failures and commit to meaningful reform. The question remains: Will justice be delivered? Or will this be yet another case where institutional failings are brushed under the rug?