Koshka Duff: Met apology to woman over language in strip search

The Metropolitan Police has apologised to a woman for the "sexist, derogatory and unacceptable language used" while she was being strip-searched.

Dr Koshka Duff was detained in 2013 after offering a legal advice card to a black teenager during his stop-and-search.

On CCTV footage, officers can be heard laughing about her hair, clothes and talking about her underwear.

The force said it had settled her claim and "sincerely apologised".

Dr Duff, who is now an assistant professor at the University of Nottingham, was trying to give the "know your rights" card to a 15-year-old boy in London.

The officers accused her of obstruction and arrested her.

She told the BBC she decided to act in the spirit of "passive resistance", and went limp rather than walking to the police van willingly.

She was taken to Stoke Newington police station, where Sgt Kurtis Howard approved the strip search.

The custody sergeant asked two female officers to cut off her clothes in a cell after Dr Duff would not give her name, and because they did not know anything about her or what she was carrying.

"She's resisting. Resistance is futile... treat her like a terrorist, I don't care," he said.

Dr Duff described the strip search, which was carried out by female officers, as a "very violating and humiliating experience".

She said it left her with multiple injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

"They caused significant injury, and subjected me to degrading treatment," the academic said.

"When they had me completely naked they touched my breasts and between my legs."

Dr Duff added she heard male officers talking through the open door, and feared they might be watching.

On CCTV footage Dr Duff managed to obtain years after the search, officers can be heard laughing about her hair, saying her clothes stink and talking about her underwear.

Dr Duff was later charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer and one charge of obstructing a police officer, but was acquitted of all charges following a trial.

The Met held a misconduct hearing in August 2018, and halfway through Sgt Howard was cleared of gross misconduct without giving evidence.

Panel chairman Maurice Cohen said there were "reasonable grounds justifying Sgt Howard's actions in authorising a strip search".

In a statement, the Met said: "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.

"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."

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