Matt Ratana death: Man, 25, guilty of murder after shooting dead police officer while handcuffed
A man who shot dead a Metropolitan Police custody sergeant after smuggling a gun into a holding cell has been found guilty of murder.
Louis De Zoysa, 25, was still handcuffed when he opened fire at Sergeant Matt Ratana after officers failed to find an antique revolver and holster believed to have been concealed under one of his armpits.
De Zoysa was taken to the custody block in Croydon, south London, after being found with seven rounds of ammunition during a search in nearby Norbury in the early hours of 25 September 2020.
Northampton Crown Court heard how he deliberately fired the weapon without warning into the 54-year-old officer’s chest, causing a fatal wound to his heart and left lung.
A second shot hit New Zealand-born Sgt Ratana in the leg, a third struck the cell wall during a struggle with officers, and a fourth hit De Zoysa in the neck, leaving him with brain damage.
De Zoysa denied murder, telling jurors that he did not mean to fire the gun and was having a “panic attack” at the time, while his lawyers argued his responsibility was diminished by an autistic meltdown.
But he was found guilty of murdering Sgt Ratana – a Met officer for almost 30 years and head coach at East Grinstead Rugby Club – on Thursday.
De Zoysa, who had worked for HMRC in Croydon for around 16 months as a data analyst, was living in a flat at a farm in Banstead, Surrey, at the time of the shooting.
He bought the gun, which was legal to own due to its antique status, on the internet in June 2020 and made the ammunition on the farm, the court heard.
The revolver used by Louis De Zoysa to shoot Metropolitan Police officer Matt Ratana
Body-worn footage played in court showed De Zoysa being stopped and searched in London Road, Norbury, south London, by officers, who removed items from his holdall and patted him down.
He was then put into the back of a police van and taken to the custody block in Windmill Road but officers failed to find a gun and holster which “were probably concealed under one of his armpits”, prosecutor Duncan Penny KC told the jury.
De Zoysa “retrieved” the weapon from a holster under his left arm, while handcuffed to the rear, as he was being transported to Windmill Road in a police van, prosecutors said.
CCTV footage suggests he managed to get hold of the gun with his right hand around 16 minutes before the shooting and then took advantage of a vent at the back of his overcoat to hide the weapon until the attack.
Footage also showed De Zoysa in the holding cell with Sgt Ratana and two other officers involved in his arrest and detention.
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The first three shots were fired within three seconds at 2.09am, while the fourth came around 16 seconds later.
The footage showed officers pulling Sgt Ratana from the cell after the shooting.
Another officer pointed a Taser towards De Zoysa, who was taken to the ground moments after the gun was initially fired.
Sgt Ratana died of his injuries in hospital despite the efforts of medical staff.
His partner Su Bushby said outside court after the verdict: “Today is about justice for Matt.
“His life was taken too soon in the line of duty, doing a job that he loved – a cruel end to a lifetime of service and dedication protecting others.
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Officer’s murder ‘will never leave’ colleagues
“Whilst the court case has concluded, the constant feeling of grief and loss continues.
“My love for Matt, my gentle giant will never end. He will never be forgotten.”
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “I cannot begin to imagine how difficult this has been for (Ms Bushby) and all of Matt’s family and friends. Matt dedicated 30 years of his life to policing.
“He was nearing retirement when he was tragically murdered. He was an outstanding officer who brought joy to his work.
“He treated everyone with respect, with compassion and with good humour. We will ensure he is never forgotten.”
De Zoysa, who appeared in court during his trial in a wheelchair, gave evidence in a modified way because of communication difficulties caused by his brain damage.
He nodded when asked if he knew that Sgt Ratana had died and said he felt “sad” about it.
Jurors were told they had to consider whether De Zoysa deliberately fired the revolver and the question of diminished responsibility.
UK
Resident doctor strikes: I don’t want people to suffer but we have to walk out again, says BMA chief
The British Medical Association (BMA) has defended a new round of resident doctor walkouts starting on Friday, insisting medics’ pay is still “way down” compared with 2008 and that the government has failed to finish “a journey” towards restoring it.
BMA chair Dr Tom Dolphin told Sky News the dispute remains rooted in years of pay erosion that have left resident doctors far behind other public sector workers.
“When we started the dispute, […] the lowest level of the resident doctors were being paid £14 an hour,” he said.
“There were some pay rises over the last couple of years that brought that partly back to the value it should be at, but not all the way.
“The secretary of state (Wes Streeting) himself called it a journey, implying there were further steps to come, but we haven’t seen that.”
Resident doctors outside Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary during a five-day strike in July. File pic: PA
When asked if the row ultimately “comes down to money”, he replied: “In the sense that the secretary of state doesn’t want to or isn’t able to fund the pay increases to match the value that we had in 2008.”
Dr Dolphin argued that while “the general worker in the economy as a whole” has seen pay catch up since the 2008 financial crash, “doctors are still way down”.
The government points out that its 29% settlement last year was one of the largest in the public sector and was intended to draw a line under two years of walkouts.
But Dr Dolphin said the deal still fell short: “The gap was biggest for doctors and needed the biggest amount of restoration, and that’s what we got.”
He defended the BMA’s use of the Retail Price Index (RPI), a metric rejected by the Office for National Statistics, saying it “better reflects the costs people face”.
Should resident doctors get a pay rise? Have your say in the poll at the bottom of this story.
Dr Tom Dolphin says resident doctors are still underpaid
‘Who do you think is treating the patients?’
With Chancellor Rachel Reeves preparing her budget amid warnings of deep cuts, Dr Dolphin said the BMA is not demanding an immediate cash injection.
“We’re quite happy for that money to be deferred with some kind of multi-year pay deal so that we can end the dispute and avoid having further industrial action about pay for several years to come,” he said.
“Money spent in the NHS is returned to the economy. For every pound you spend, you get several pounds back.”
When pressed on whether the £1.7bn cost of previous strike action could have been better spent on treatment and technology for NHS cancer patients, he hit back: “Who do you think is treating the cancer patients? It’s the doctors.”
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Health Secretary Wes Streeting has criticised the BMA for striking again. File pic: PA
Strikes will cause disruption, union boss admits
Dr Dolphin rejected suggestions that the dispute could destabilise the government, calling the idea “implausible”.
He admitted prolonged strikes have tested public patience, but said the government had left doctors with no choice.
“A prolonged industrial dispute makes people annoyed with both sides,” he said. “It is vexing to us that we are still in this dispute.”
“I don’t want patients to suffer,” he added. “I accept that the strikes cause disruption… of course that’s upsetting for them. I completely get that. And I’m sorry that it’s happening.”
Sir Keir Starmer has apologised to his health secretary after allies of the prime minister accused him of plotting a coup.
Sky News understands Sir Keir spoke briefly to Wes Streeting on Wednesday evening, though did not share details about the briefing campaign.
Politics Hub: Follow latest updates
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions earlier in the day, he denied authorising the attacks on Mr Streeting, who was accused of planning a leadership challenge after the budget later this month.
Mr Streeting said the allegations are “not true”, telling Sky News’ Mornings With Ridge And Frost that whoever was behind the briefings had been “watching too much Celebrity Traitors”.
He insisted he was loyal to the prime minister, who has been under mounting pressure as he and the Labour Party flounder behind Reform in the polls.
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Health secretary insists he’s ‘a faithful’
Downing Street went on the attack on Tuesday night to ward off any potential challenge to Sir Keir after the budget, which could see the government announce manifesto-breaking tax rises.
Sir Keir and Rachel Reeves have refused to rule out raising income tax, national insurance, or VAT.
One senior figure told Sky News political editor Beth Rigby while a post-budget challenge is unlikely, it could come if next May’s elections – including in London and Wales – go badly for Labour.
Labour face a challenge from Reform on the right and parties like the Greens and Plaid Cymru on the left.
Read more: How No 10 plunged itself into crisis
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Starmer backs Streeting at PMQs
Also under pressure is the prime minister’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, after Mr Streeting hit out at a “toxic culture” inside Number 10.
Sir Keir failed to say he had “full confidence” in him at PMQs in response to questions from Kemi Badenoch, but the prime minister’s political spokesperson later insisted to journalists that he does retain his backing.
Sky News understands Mr McSweeney was not discussed when Sir Keir and Mr Streeting spoke last night.
Labour chairwoman Anna Turley said the prime minister will investigate the source of the claims against the health secretary, telling ITV: “This is not what he wants to see and he’s determined to drive it out.”
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