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 Ratanaafter 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.
Advertisement
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.
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.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
0:46
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.
It could increase potential GDP (Gross Domestic Product) by 0.43% by 2050 according to a Frontier Economics study, she said. 60% of that boost would go to areas outside London and the southeast, increasing trade opportunities like Scotch whiskey and Scottish salmon, she added.
Ms Reeves said an expansion could create more than 100,000 jobs.
The announcement has been welcomed by some business groups but has been met with anger from London’s Labour mayor Sadiq Khan, the Lib Dems, the Green Party and environmental groups.
As part of a speech on funding infrastructure across the UK to promote growth, Ms Reeves said: “Persistent delays have caused doubts about our seriousness towards improving our economic prospects.”
She added that business groups like the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and the Chambers of Commerce (BCC), as well as trade unions “are clear – a third runway is badly needed”.
‘Britain is a country of huge potential that is untapped’
Speaking afterwards to Sky’s economics and data editor Ed Conway, Ms Reeves said: “I want Britain to be a magnet for foreign investment… we should be welcoming the best businesses and the best talent in the world. I want businesses around the world, investors around the world, to see in Britain, what I see, which is a country of huge potential that is untapped.”
The chancellor also spoke of helping British companies to scale up.
She said: “We are introducing the capital market reforms, particularly around pension reform, unlocking £80bn of long-term patient capital by creating these mega funds, the mergers of defined contribution and local government pension schemes, to create those larger funds that can invest at scale in the exciting opportunities in the UK.
“Building on what countries like Australia and Canada do with their big pension funds, to support British industry, and particularly that stage of a business career when they’ve had the start-up and the seed funding, but now they’re looking to scale up, but they find that the access to finance isn’t available in the UK, and often look, to example, for the United States.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
4:48
Britain has ‘huge potential’
Investments in green aviation fuel
Ms Reeves said in her speech that the UK is “already making great strides in transitioning to cleaner and greener aviation” and announced the government is investing £63m over the next year into the Advanced Fuel Fund grant programme to support the development of sustainable aviation fuel production plants.
The government will be accepting proposals until the summer and will then carry out a “full assessment” through the Airport National Policy Statement to “ensure a third runway is delivered in line with our legal, environmental and climate objectives”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
1:18
Three main points from chancellor’s big speech
Ms Reeves said the government expects any associated surface transport costs to the third runway’s construction to be financed through private funding.
She added a decision on plans to expand Gatwick and Luton, which are currently under way, will be made by the transport secretary “shortly”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
1:08
How do we judge Labour’s success?
A decades-old debate
The debate around whether Europe’s busiest airport should expand has been circling over British politics for decades.
Ms Reeves’s decision will likely put her at odds with Climate Secretary Ed Miliband, who has said airport expansions will not go ahead if they cannot meet climate targets.
However, he said last week he would not resign if the government approved a third runway despite threatening to resign from Gordon Brown’s cabinet as climate change secretary in 2009 over the plans and in 2018 he said an expansion was “very likely” to make air pollution worse.
He has now said the government can meet both its growth and net zero missions together.
London mayor opposes runway
Sadiq Khan said he remained opposed to a third runway “because of the severe impact it will have on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets”.
He said he will carefully scrutinise any new proposals, “including the impact it will have on people living in the area and the huge knock-on effects for our transport infrastructure”.
“Despite the progress that’s been made in the aviation sector to make it more sustainable, I’m simply not convinced that you can have hundreds of thousands of additional flights at Heathrow every year without a hugely damaging impact on our environment,” he added.
Green Party MP Sian Berry said expanding airports “in the face of a climate emergency is the most irresponsible announcement from any government I have seen since the Liz Truss budget”.
Conservative shadow chancellor Mel Stride accused Ms Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer and “their job-destroying budget” of being “the biggest barriers to growth”.
“What’s worse, the anti-growth chancellor could not rule out coming back with yet more tax rises in March,” he added.
“This is a Labour government run by politicians who do not understand business, or where wealth comes from. Under new leadership, the Conservatives will continue to back businesses and hold this government to account.”
Princess Beatrice has given birth to a baby girl named Athena several weeks prematurely, Buckingham Palace has said.
The late Queen’s granddaughter was due to give birth in early spring and was told in December not to travel long distances.
Mother and daughter are now both said to be at home and doing well.
In a statement, the palace said: “Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday 22nd January, at 12.57pm, at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London.
“The baby was born weighing four pounds and five ounces.
“Their Majesties The King and Queenand other members of the Royal Family have all been informed and are delighted with the news.”
Mr Mapelli Mozzi posted a tribute to his new daughter, calling her “tiny and absolutely perfect”.
More on Princess Beatrice
Related Topics:
He wrote on Instagram sharing a photograph of Athena wrapped in a blanket: “Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi.
“We welcomed baby Athena into our lives last week. She is tiny and absolutely perfect.
“We are all (including Wolfie and Sienna) already completely besotted with her.
“Our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena.
“A massive thank you from my wife and I goes out to all the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their exceptional care and support during this incredibly special time.”
The couple share a three-year-old daughter, Sienna. Mr Mapelli Mozzi also has an eight-year-old son, Wolfie.
Princess Beatrice’s sister Princess Eugenie celebrated the new arrival by posting “Welcome Baby Girl” and sharing Mr Mapelli Mozzi’s photograph on her Instagram Stories.
• Bank of Scotland Alexandria – 02/03/2026 • Bank of Scotland Annan – 02/03/2026 • Bank of Scotland Barrhead – 21/05/2025 • Bank of Scotland Bishopbriggs – 21/05/2025 • Bank of Scotland Edinburgh Corstorphine West – 29/10/2025 • Bank of Scotland Edinburgh Wester Hailes – 27/05/2025 • Bank of Scotland Helensburgh – 05/03/2026 • Bank of Scotland Kirkintilloch – 22/05/2025 • Bank of Scotland Moffat – 29/10/2025 • Bank of Scotland Peebles – 27/05/2025 • Bank of Scotland Pitlochry – 30/10/2025 • Bank of Scotland Sanquhar – 28/05/2025 • Bank of Scotland Thornhill – 03/11/2025 • Bank of Scotland Uddingston – 22/05/2025
Lloyds blamed the move on customers shifting away from banking in person to using online services, meaning there is less need for physical sites.
It made the announcement just weeks after taking the decision to allow its customers to access on-site services across any of the group’s branded branches.
Lloyds also revealed the planned closure of two major offices – in Liverpool and Dunfermline – affecting more than 1,000 staff.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
2:42
Lloyds boss gives interest rate predictions
A spokesperson said: “Over 20 million customers are using our apps for on-demand access to their money and customers have more choice and flexibility than ever for their day-to-day banking.
“Alongside our apps, customers can also use telephone banking, visit a community banker or use any Halifax, Lloyds or Bank of Scotland branch, giving access to many more branches.
“Customers can also do their everyday banking at over 11,000 branches of the Post Office or in a Banking Hub.”
The UK’s big banking brands have been shutting branches at pace since the fallout from the financial crisis in 2008 which sparked a rush to cut costs.
The uptake of digital banking services has seen more than 6,000 sites go to the wall since 2015, according to the consumer group Which?
The closure plan revealed on Wednesday will bring the Lloyds brand down to 386 branches, Halifax down to 281 branches and Bank of Scotland to 90 branches once completed.
Campaigners have long argued that the rate of closures has been too quick to allow alternatives, such as banking hubs, to fill the void.
The elderly are least likely to bank online while rural communities have been particularly hard hit through the loss of banking services altogether.
Banking hubs are physical sites where services are shared.
As of September 2024, there were 76 across the UK though that number was set to more than double within months, according to Cash Access UK.