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Jan 21, 2024

Prisoner 'shot policeman dead while handcuffed after pulling out hidden revolver'

Met Police officer Matt Ratana was killed by one of four bullets fired by Louis

Met Police officer Matt Ratana was killed by one of four bullets fired by Louis De Zoysa in an incident captured on CCTV at a custody block in Croydon, south London, a court has heard

A police sergeant was shot dead in a custody centre by a suspect who had smuggled in an antique revolver he had bought legally, a court has heard.

Louis De Zoysa, 25, blasted Matt Ratana in the heart after he was arrested for possession of ammunition and cannabis in the early hours of September 25, 2020.

De Zoysa, who was handcuffed behind his back at the time in the Croydon custody centre, south London, was hit in the neck by one of four shots fired during the incident.

He suffered brain damage, which has affected his ability to communicate and has been assigned an intermediary to help him understand the evidence.

Opening his trial at the Northampton Crown Court on Wednesday, prosecutor Duncan Penny KC said the defendant had been taken to a holding cell after being found with seven rounds of ammunition that he had made himself in Norbury, south London.

Mr Penny explained that he would be speaking in short sentences so De Zoysa could follow proceedings.

He said: "Louis De Zoysa pulled the trigger on purpose twice when he was pointing the gun at Sergeant Ratana.

"In total, the prosecution say Louis De Zoysa pulled the trigger on purpose four times."

The jury was told De Zoysa, of Banstead, Surrey, was stopped by two police officers at 1.30am on 25 September wearing a dark hat, black surgical mask, a long black coat, and army boots.

PC Rich Davey is seen on body-worn footage saying he wanted to search the defendant because there had been a number of burglaries in the area.

An anxious looking De Zoysa is seen repeatedly thrusting his hands in his pockets when told not to during the 13 minute search.

He then tells officers that he wanted to "confess" and says he had cannabis in his bag.

The defendant was then handcuffed and seven bullets were found in a bag in De Zoysa's pocket.

One officer later tells a colleague: "I don't trust him at all. He's lied to us non-stop."

Mr Penny told the jury of seven men and five women: "The police officers did not find that Louis De Zoysa was carrying a loaded revolver in a holster.

"The gun and holster were probably concealed under one of his armpits."

After his arrival at the custody facility in Windmill Road, Croydon, De Zoysa was taken to a holding cell, the court heard.

"Louis De Zoysa kept the gun hidden," Mr Penny said. "Louis De Zoysa was put in a holding room. Louis De Zoysa was still handcuffed.

"He was able to point the gun at Sergeant Ratana. He deliberately shot Sergeant Ratana once to the chest, at very close range. He did not give a warning."

Before showing the jury CCTV of De Zoysa's movements before he was detained in Norbury, Mr Penny said other officers at the custody block "were not able to stop" De Zoysa, whose first bullet caused a fatal injury to the left lung and heart of Sgt Ratana.

Mr Penny said: "Three further shots were fired during the struggle with officers that followed. "The prosecution say the second shot was another deliberate shot at Sergeant Ratana.

"The fourth shot caused severe and life-threatening injury to Louis De Zoysa."

The defendant was 23 when the shooting happened and was living in a flat at a farm in Banstead, having bought the gun, which was legal to own due to its antique status, on the internet in June 2020.

Bullets of the correct calibre for the gun are no longer made, Mr Penny said, but De Zoysa "bought the parts to make the bullets" and made ammunition at the farm.

Mr Penny alleged: "Louis De Zoysa knew the gun worked with the bullets he had made."

De Zoysa, who appeared in the dock in a wheelchair and with his right arm in a sling, denies murder.

Following Mr Ratana's death, his partner Su Bushby described him as a "gentle giant".

The officer was originally from New Zealand and joined the Met in 1991. He was previously a protection officer to Princess Diana, the Queen Mother and ex-Prime Minister John Major.

In an earlier tribute, Ms Bushby said: "Matt was my partner, friend, confidant, support and soul mate.

"He will be greatly missed but never forgotten. Matt will always be in my head and in my heart."

Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick previously paid tribute to Sergeant Ratana as an "extraordinary person" who was "very good at his job".

She said: "If some good can come out of this terrible incident in which we have had one of our officers murdered, it would be that more people can understand a little bit about the challenges of police work and to see us police as who we are - human beings, going to work to help people, to support people and to protect people.

"Matt was the epitome of that."

The trial continues.

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