The Met police has apologised for using “sexist, derogatory and unacceptable language” against a woman during a strip search

Dr Konstancja Duff received compensation after she was taunted by officers following her arrest in May 2013.

Credit: Getty

News


The Met police has apologised for using “sexist, derogatory and unacceptable language” against a woman during a strip search

By Amy Beecham

3 years ago

1 min read

Released CCTV footage showed the extent of Dr Konstancja Duff’s treatment during a strip search by Metropolitan police officers.

The Metropolitan police has apologised and paid compensation to a woman for the “sexist, derogatory and unacceptable language” used against her by officers during a strip search.

Dr Konstancja Duff was arrested on 5 May 2013 on suspicion of obstructing and assaulting police after trying to hand a legal advice card to a 15-year-old caught in a stop-and-search sweep in Hackney, but was later cleared in court.

She was taken to Stoke Newington police station, where Sergeant Kurtis Howard ordered the search when she refused to cooperate with officers.

Officers had claimed they had acted with professionalism, strip-searching her for her own safety because she would not give them her name.

However, CCTV captured Dr Duff being held down on the floor while her clothes were cut off and officers asked “Is she rank?” and said “What’s that smell? Oh, it’s her knickers”.

Footage shows Sergeant Howard telling officers to show her “resistance is futile” and to search her “by any means necessary”.“Treat her like a terrorist,” he says on the tape. “I don’t care.”

A female officer later mocks Duff’s body hair after searching her. A second, returning from handling Duff, tells her colleague: “Ugh, I feel disgusting; I’m going to need a shower”.

“You need defumigating,” a male officer tells her.

The Met did not say whether any officers involved had faced disciplinary action

Credit: Getty

Police misconduct and an alleged culture of misogyny, sexism and racism within the Met and other forces has increasingly come under scrutiny. Whistleblowers have spoken out on the institutional “sexist and sick” behaviour they witnessed on the force, and there is currently an inquiry ongoing as to whether any “red flags” were missed during the career of Wayne Couzens, the former officer who murdered Sarah Everard.

Inspector Andy O’Donnell, of the Met’s directorate of professional standards, told Duff: “I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely and unreservedly apologise for the sexist, derogatory and unacceptable language used about you and for any upset and distress this may have caused.

“I hope that settlement of this claim and this recognition of the impact of what happened that day will enable you to put this incident behind you.”

However, the force did not say whether any officers had faced disciplinary action. “In November 2021, the Met settled a claim following the arrest of a woman in Hackney in May 2013. We have sincerely apologised to the complainant for the language used while she was in custody and any distress caused,” the Met told Stylist.

“Following the conclusion of the civil claim, allegations of misconduct relating to these comments were referred to our Directorate of Professional Standards and are currently being investigated. This investigation remains ongoing.”

Writing for Novara Media, Duff said that she “didn’t believe a word” of the apology she received eight years later from the force and that she was awarded £6,000 in compensation.

“The police’s crocodile dismay at how such an “unacceptable” incident could have occurred was damage control, a strategy for deflecting public scrutiny. By presenting themselves as shocked, they present the incident as exceptional,” she writes.

Images: Getty

Sign up for the latest news and must-read features from Stylist, so you don’t miss out on the conversation.

By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy

Thank you!

You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.