Man who shot and killed Sergeant Matt Ratana in custody cell will die in jail after being handed whole life order
27 July 2023, 12:17 | Updated: 27 July 2023, 13:29
The man who shot and killed Metropolitan Police Sergeant Matt Ratana in a custody suite has been sentenced to a whole life order.
Matt Ratana, 54, who was originally from New Zealand, died after he was shot at by Louis De Zoysa in a custody block in Croydon on September 25, 2020.
Sentencing De Zoysa at Northampton Crown Court, Mr Justice Jeremy Johnson told the 26-year-old: "You acted in cold blood. You intended to kill Sergeant Ratana.
"You aimed the gun at his chest at near point-blank range. Even as he fell you re-aimed and fired a second shot at him.
"The aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating factors. There is therefore no justification to depart from the starting point of a whole life order."
De Zoysa, who is expected to be held at HMP Belmarsh in south-east London, showed no obvious reaction as he was told he will spend the rest of his life in prison.
He claimed diminished responsibility but was found guilty after a jury decided he pulled the antique weapon's trigger deliberately to fire homemade bullets, and had not suffered an autistic meltdown.
CCTV of Matt Ratana released
The jury was previously shown CCTV footage of the moment when Sgt Ratana was fatally shot.
It showed De Zoysa seated on the custody bench, with his hands handcuffed behind his back, as Sgt Ratana entered the room and introduced himself.
He told the defendant: "You’ve been arrested on suspicion of possession of bullets, ammunition and possession with intent to supply class B."
He went on to say: "Your detention’s not been authorised yet, but I can authorise a search of you under Section 54 of PACE.”
The defendant was then instructed to stand up for the search, at which point De Zoysa got up from his seat before uncovering a concealed gun from behind his jacket and shooting Matt Ratana.
Two separate police officers were stood either side of the defendant before tackling him to the ground as they shouted at him to surrender the gun.
De Zoysa continued to conceal the gun and fired it three more times before dropping it.
The second shot was fired during the police’s struggle with the defendant, which hit Sergeant Ratana in the leg – but this was not believed to be the fatal shot.
A third shot was fired in the direction of the wall, and finally a muffled fourth shot, which hit De Zoysa himself.
He was then tasered by a police officer and the gun was kicked away from the defendant and recovered by the officers.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said on Thursday: “Matt dedicated almost 30 years to policing and was nearing retirement when he was tragically murdered. He was an outstanding officer who brought joy to his work, treating everyone with respect, compassion and good humour.
“In the days after his death, tributes flowed in from Matt’s colleagues, from communities he had served and from those who knew him in his life outside policing. They were a testament to the man he was.
“Whether it was on the street or in a custody centre as a uniformed police officer, or on the rugby field as a player and later a coach, it is clear he was someone who made an enduring impact wherever he went. We will ensure that he is never forgotten.
“I have also seen the heavy impact that Matt’s murder had on his colleagues, those he worked with in Croydon and also the many officers and staff he had served alongside in his lengthy career.
“That impact is particularly felt by those who were present on the night he was murdered.
“This tragedy has caused me to reflect on the uncertain world within which police officers operate and the risks they face day by day.
“Officers never have a perfect picture of what awaits them at the next incident. Every day we take several firearms off the streets of London and the majority are seized by unarmed officers.
“The men and women in policing, daily stepping forward into uncertainty and risk, are truly remarkable.
“The officers and staff who were on duty on the night Matt was killed showed just those attributes. Without their courage I believe that more lives would have been lost.
“I am immensely proud of their professionalism and their bravery. They have my enduring admiration and my full support.”
