A Black teenager who returned home to find paramedics treating his mother after a suicide attempt was arrested on suspicion of trying to murder her and detained for nearly a day before being cleared of any wrongdoing. Now, a London jury has ruled that the police discriminated against him because of his race, paving the way for compensation of up to £130,000 (around Rs 1.6 crore).
The Incident
The case centers on Daryl McLune, who was 16 at the time of the incident in July 2021. A bright student with no criminal record or previous interaction with police, McLune had arrived at his south London home after visiting his grandmother when he found emergency responders attending to his mother, Annette McLune. Just 26 minutes later, officers arrested him on suspicion of attempted murder.
Bodycam Footage Reveals Teen's Distress
Bodycam footage shown in court revealed the teenager collapsing to the ground and repeatedly telling officers, “I wasn’t even here” as he was handcuffed and taken away. McLune was held in custody for 23 hours and later released. Less than a week afterward, police informed him that no further action would be taken after investigators discovered a suicide note indicating his mother had attempted to take her own life. During his detention, McLune said he was not told whether his mother was alive or dead. “I just felt alone,” he told the court. “Nobody was there to stand in my corner.”
Jury Finds Discrimination
After a seven-day civil trial, jurors concluded that police had treated McLune “less favourably than a non-Black boy” when deciding to arrest and detain him. The jury also found that officers failed to prove they had an honest suspicion that he had committed attempted murder and ruled that his prolonged detention amounted to false imprisonment. In addition, jurors held that his treatment breached his rights under the European Convention on Human Rights, finding that he had been subjected to degrading treatment.
Lawyers Say Police ‘Criminalised a Child in Crisis’
McLune’s legal team argued that officers rushed to view him as a suspect rather than a traumatized child dealing with a family emergency. His barrister told the court that police had “prematurely criminalised” a teenager who had arrived at a scene involving his seriously injured mother. According to the claim, racial assumptions influenced how quickly officers moved from investigating the incident to arresting McLune. Lawyers argued that, instead of receiving compassion and support, he was treated as a threat who needed to be controlled.
Police Defend Actions
The Metropolitan Police maintained that officers were responding to a serious incident and acted on information available at the time. Their lawyers argued that blood found inside the family home raised concerns that a crime may have occurred and justified immediate investigation. Police also claimed officers were unaware of the suicide note when they arrived and said McLune had appeared angry and confrontational at the scene. However, the jury ultimately rejected key elements of the force’s defense.
Impact on McLune
McLune, now 20, says the ordeal left him with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), nightmares, flashbacks and a deep mistrust of police. His legal team told the court that the arrest damaged his education, affected his future opportunities and caused lasting emotional trauma. The Metropolitan Police has disputed the size of the compensation claim, arguing that some of his psychological distress may stem from his mother’s suicide attempt rather than his treatment by officers. A judge will determine the final amount of damages at a later date.
Significance of the Ruling
The case is being seen as a significant ruling on racial discrimination in policing, with the jury finding that race played a role in both the decision to arrest McLune and the length of time he was kept in custody. For McLune, the verdict marks the end of a years-long legal battle over what he describes as the most traumatic day of his life, one in which a family tragedy was followed by an arrest that a jury has now deemed discriminatory.
