Triple killer custody officer 'shocked' over killings

A custody officer said she was "shocked" when a man she had dealt with killed three elderly men two days later.

Alexander Lewis-Ranwell, now 35, had been arrested twice and released from custody before he killed Anthony Payne, 80, and twins Roger and Dick Carter, 84 in Exeter on 10 February 2019.

Lewis-Ranwell had a history of mental health problems, including cannabis-induced psychosis, and had also been detained under the Mental Health Act in 2016 and again in 2017, inquests in Exeter have heard.

Det Sgt Heather Smith told the hearing she did not believe signs of his mental state were missed during the first arrest on 8 February and said: "You cannot foresee what a person is going to do."

The inquests at County Hall heard Lewis-Ranwell was first arrested on suspicion of burglary on the morning of 8 February and taken to Barnstaple police station.

He had come to the attention of police for several incidents starting at 00:50 GMT in the early hours of that morning when officers were called to the Castle Inn in Combe Martin to reports of a "crazy guy with a cordless drill" who was refusing to leave.

The inquest heard the same officers were called to Lee Meadow Farm a short time later where a farmer was reporting his bike had been stolen and someone had defecated in a bucket.

They quickly realised the burglary suspect was the man they had spoken to at the Castle Inn.

In camera footage played to the inquest, an officer commented: "He's not in his right mind, is he?"

The inquest heard Lewis-Ranwell was arrested during a third incident where he had a confrontation with a woman who had arrived to take care of her horse and found him grooming it.

Custody officer Smith answered questions about the detention log she filled out as Lewis-Ranwell was booked into custody at Barnstaple police station and jurors were shown CCTV of the process.

Her notes assessed him as having previously been detained twice for psychosis and as having been given medicines "for mental health but not currently medicated".

Smith noted he should be seen by a health care professional and a mental health practitioner. She said in the log he "makes odd comments" but was low risk and required the lowest level of observations - a check once every 30 minutes.

She said he was a "nice guy" and "very cooperative".

Answering questions from Nick Armstrong KC, who is representing the families of the Carter brothers and Payne, she said she was not made aware of the comments made by officers during the incidents that led to his arrest.

The comments included officers saying Lewis-Ranwell "isn't right" and "it's mental health isn't it".

One officer said: "He's going to cause mayhem this bloke."

Smith said she was not made aware of that.

Armstrong questioned whether her "jokey and bantering" rapport building caused her to miss something.

CCTV of the booking process showed an officer emptying Lewis-Ranwell's bag and commenting that an item in a bag looked like mushrooms.

Armstrong asked: "Did somebody check that wasn't magic mushrooms for someone who had a history of drug-induced psychosis?"

Smith said she did not believe it had been checked and added: "In my opinion he was not under the influence of any type of drug."

Armstrong asked if she had reflected on Lewis-Ranwell's detention in light of him going on to kill three elderly men two days later.

"Did you think the signs were there and maybe we missed it?", he asked.

Smith told the jury she left custody after this and was "shocked", adding: "You can't foresee what a person is going to do to themselves or others."

In a statement, Carren Davies, who was then a mental health practitioner with Devon Partnership Trust's liaison and diversion team, said custody staff wanted her to see Lewis-Ranwell "because they were aware he had a mental health history".

Davies said she offered him an assessemnt and help accessing services such as housing, both of which he declined.

She said there was "nothing that suggested to me that he lacked the capacity to make these decisions" and when asked he "denied he was a current risk to himself or others".

The inquest previosuly heard Payne and the Carters all died of head injuries and Lewis-Ranwell was charged with their murders.

At a trial later in 2019, Lewis-Ranwell was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity and was given a direct hospital order.

The inquest continues.

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