A black teenager, Daryl McLune, who was wrongly arrested for the attempted murder of his mother moments after she tried to take her own life, has successfully won a race discrimination claim against the Metropolitan Police. A jury at Central London County Court concluded that the Met discriminated against McLune, who was 16 at the time, due to his race.
The civil trial detailed the events of 25th July 2021, when McLune returned to his London home following a call from his father, Travayne. He discovered his mother, Annette, on the ground outside their residence after she had attempted to take her own life. Despite the tragic circumstances, officers arrested the teenager on suspicion of attempted murder and held him for 23 hours at Wandsworth police station. During his detention, McLune remained in handcuffs for five hours while forensic samples were taken from his hands, which were never subsequently processed or submitted.
The court heard that officers at the scene cited blood in the family's flat as a reason to believe the incident was "suspicious". However, police were reportedly unaware of bloody razor blades and a suicide note, which were discovered later. McLune, described in court as a diligent student with no prior police contact, subsequently dropped out of school following his arrest. His lawyers from Bhatt Murphy solicitors argued that the ordeal has had a profound impact, leading to post-traumatic stress disorder, nightmares, and flashbacks, seeking damages of approximately £130,000.
After a seven-day trial, the jury delivered verdicts on 19 questions of fact. They found it was proven that McLune was treated "less favourably than a non-black boy" would have been by the police in the decision to arrest him and detain him for such an extended period. Furthermore, the jury concluded that the Met had failed to demonstrate that the arresting officer "honestly suspected" McLune had committed attempted murder, or that it was "reasonable and necessary" to keep him handcuffed until forensic samples were collected. While excessive force was not found in his handcuffing, his overall treatment was deemed a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights, specifically regarding protection from "inhuman or degrading treatment".
Following the verdict, McLune expressed his gratitude to the jury, stating, "I have waited a long time for this vindication. And while I will never forget these events, having the jury confirm I should never have been arrested will, I hope, help me to try to move on and recover from this incident." The judge, Andrew Holmes, will determine the exact amount of compensation at a later date. The Metropolitan Police acknowledged the jury's findings, stating their awareness of the distress caused and their commitment to tackling all forms of discrimination, including unconscious bias. They added that such cases damage public trust and the outcome would be carefully considered.