Teenage girl left traumatised after police strip-searched her, says mum

Her mum tells a 15-year-old girl who was strip-searched by police has been traumatised by the incident.

Her mum tells a 15-year-old girl who was strip-searched by police has been traumatised by the incident.

Olivia was handcuffed, and her underwear was cut off in the presence of male police officers, she added.

The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the police watchdog.

The case follows that of Child Q, a 15-year-old black pupil strip-searched at school after false allegations that she had drugs, namely cannabis.

Oliva, who's mixed race and autistic, was strip-searched in December 2020, the same month as Child Q.

Olivia's mum, who has been called Lisa to protect her daughter's identity, said she was not given a warning that her child would be strip-searched by force.

She told Radio 4's File On four programme that Olivia had already spent over twenty hours in police custody when she was searched.

She said Olivia went out with some friends when they argued with a couple of boys, who called the police and alleged they were the victims of a knife-point robbery. The police searched her on the scene, and the result returned negative. Olivia and her friends were then arrested.

At the time, Lisa had COVID-19 and was in isolation, but she said she spoke to the police on a phone call, informed them of Olivia's autism and learning difficulties, and warned them that she had been self-harming.

Lisa said that Olivia handed over a small blade she used to self-harm. After spending more than twenty hours in police custody, she was told she could have a shower.

Olivia also used a sharpened stick to self-harm fell from her clothes as she changed. Lisa said it was at that point those six officers placed Olivia in handcuffs, strip-searched her by force and did a close search in the presence of male officers.

Protests were held in London after reports about Child Q.

"Olivia was actually on her period at the time too. And they cut off her underwear in front of these grown male police officers." She added, "She was distraught."

Lisa said Olivia's experience had a devastating impact on her mental health. "She became quite reclusive," she added.

"She spent a lot of time in her room and continued to self-harm in secret. And then a few weeks later, she attempted suicide." Olivia later appeared in court accused of having a bladed article and was found not guilty after the magistrates accepted that the pieces were for self-harming.

Her family are now making a civil claim against the Metropolitan Police. Lawyer Gail Hadfield Granger, standing for them, said several rules must be followed when searching for minors.

"The legal guardian, the person responsible for that child, needs to be informed," she said. "The strip search needs to be done in front of same-sex only, not same-sex police staff with opposite-sex police staff looking over.

"And that culture is set to protect your dignity, save you from embarrassment and put in order exactly how these things should be done right.

The Police Codes of Practise for strip-searching children

• A strip search must only be done on suspicion of concealing drugs or weapons.

• A suitable adult must be present unless the child shows otherwise.

• The officers should get permission from their supervisor before they do the strip search.

• The strip search must be done and overseen by officers of the same sex only.

Source: Police Codes of Practise - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/police-and-criminal-evidence-act-1984-pace-codes-of-practice#pace-codes-of-practice

The Metropolitan Police's Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said a force investigation looked into how proper the search was and how it was done.

Following a complaint, the force has also referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the police watchdog.

Laurence Taylor told File On four that strip searches helped keep children safe in police custody.

He added, "The worst-case scenario would be that we stop strip-searching entirely and a young child dies in custody because they have a knife or drugs that they use to harm themselves.

"And we have a big responsibility to people coming into our custody environment. We're responsible for their safety."

In a statement later released, he acknowledged the "distress" strip searches could cause young people and the force was working hard to take a "safeguarding first" approach.

"This means we must always consider whether the child being searched could be a vulnerable victim of exploitation by others involved in gangs, county lines and drug dealing or if they might be concealing weapons as they are at risk of self-harm," he added.

He said that one pilot scheme at the Metropolitan Police involves getting the authority of an inspector before a search can happen.