A serving police officer pledged his support to a convicted rapist colleague by writing ‘Good luck mate’ on Facebook days before he was due to be sentenced, can reveal.
PC Andy Collis, who works for West Midlands Police, made the ill-advised comment to show his backing for PC Aron May, who had been found guilty of two counts of rape and was jailed for 12 years on Monday.
Responding to a photograph posted onto Facebook on June 5 showing May posing with his partner and their black Labrador, PC Collis left a message with the words ‘Good Luck mate’ accompanied by a prayer emoji.
May – also a West Midlands officer – was found guilty of the sex attacks back in April but appeared at Worcester Crown Court earlier this week for sentence.
Today PC Collis, 57, was unrepentant at his home in Coleshill in Warwickshire, confirming that he sent the message in support of May before deleting it.
It comes as the Judge Martin Jackson expressed concern about some of the character references submitted on May’s behalf by his police colleagues which contained ‘ill judged’ and ‘derogatory’ comments about both the jury’s verdict and the victim.
Speaking to from the doorstep of his detached home on a quiet cul-de-sac, PC Collis – who made local headlines in 2013 when he grew a Magnum PI-style moustache for Movember to raise awareness of men’s health – refused to elaborate on what his message meant.
He said simply: ‘It meant ‘Good luck mate’, that’s it. Ok. Thank you. Off you go.’
Before closing the door, he told the reporter to go to West Midlands Police headquarters, adding: ‘You’re going to have to go to Lloyd House. I ain’t going to give anything.’
May was found to have preyed on the same woman twice in a matter of weeks and was dismissed by West Midlands Police before he was jailed.
The officer carried out his first attack on August 14, 2019, before striking again at the end of the August bank holiday weekend.
He picked up and carried his victim into another room on the first occasion, ignoring her pleas for him to stop having sex with her.
His second attack was launched when she was asleep.
The victim confronted the officer about his crimes while secretly recording him, the court was told during his trial.
May unleashed a volley of abuse in the audio, which was later used as evidence to convict him.
Passing sentence, Judge Jackson told May that his position as a police officer was a ‘serious aggravating factor’ as it undermined public trust in policing.
He said: ‘I note that you still maintain your denial of having committed either office. That is your privilege.
‘But it leads me to this conclusion: that the continued denial shows no remorse in your actions and that while you may have insight on an abstract level about the seriousness of the offence of rape when committed by others, you have no insight into your own behaviour.’
May is understood to have been a star rugby player in his youth and even represented Wales at u18 level.
The court was told that the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, paid through its insurance for May to be defended in court by a senior lawyer, Michelle Heeley KC.
Addressing the character statements written in support of the officer, the judge warned that offenders often showed ‘very different faces’ to those who know them through work, or socially, which masked their true predatory nature.
He told May, of Romsley, Shropshire that his offences were about ‘satisfying your needs’ and ‘exercising control’ over his victim before sentencing him to seven years for the first rape and five years for the second rape, to be served consecutively.
A restraining order was also imposed forbidding him from contacting his victim.
In an earlier statement to the court his victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told how she could get her life back together and said: ‘Once he is sentenced, I will finally be able to breathe again.
‘The relief of him being found guilty was immense and I broke down.’
Although May was a West Midlands Police officer, the rapes were investigated by neighbouring West Mercia Police.
Following the sentencing, Deputy Chief Constable Scott Green of West Midlands Police said: ‘Aron May was dismissed from West Midlands Police in May 2024 following a misconduct hearing which took place after his conviction at Worcester Crown Court for two counts of rape.
‘Today, he has been sentenced to 12 years.
‘The public quite rightly expect the highest standard of professionalism from our officers and staff and we are determined to ensure that those who breach these standards are held to account.
‘As part of the sentencing process for former PC Aaron May, two serving West Midlands Police officers gave character evidence on his behalf.
‘They described their previous working relationships with him, and make no comment about the victim or any other detail of the case.
‘Our thoughts continue to be former PC May’s victim.’
has approached West Midlands Police.