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.
Sir Keir Starmer has joined other European leaders in Kyiv to press Russia to agree an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
The prime minister is attending the summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, recently-elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
It is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled to Ukraine at the same time – arriving in the capital by train – with their meeting hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz travelling in the saloon car of a special train to Kyiv. Pic: Reuters
Leaders arrive in Kyiv by train. Pic: PA
It comes after Donald Trump called for “ideally” a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, and warned that if any pause in the fighting is not respected “the US and its partners will impose further sanctions”.
Security and defence analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News presenter Samantha Washington the European leaders are “rowing in behind” the US president, who referred to his “European allies” for the first time in this context in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“So this meeting is all about heaping pressure on the Russians to go along with the American proposal,” he said.
“It’s the closest the Europeans and the US have been for about three months on this issue.”
Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron among world leaders in Kyiv. Pic: AP
Trump calls for ceasefire. Pic: Truth Social
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies are ready for a “full, unconditional ceasefire” for at least 30 days starting on Monday.
Ahead of the meeting on Saturday, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz released a joint statement.
European leaders show solidarity – but await Trump’s backing
The hope is Russia’s unilateral ceasefire, such as it’s worth, can be extended for a month to give peace a chance.
But ahead of the meeting, Ukrainian sources told Sky News they are still waiting for President Donald Trump to put his full weight behind the idea.
The US leader has said a 30-day ceasefire would be ideal, but has shown no willingness yet for putting pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin to agree.
The Russians say a ceasefire can only come after a peace deal can be reached.
European allies are still putting their hopes in a negotiated end to the war despite Moscow’s intransigence and President Trump’s apparent one-sided approach favouring Russia.
Ukrainians would prefer to be given enough economic and military support to secure victory.
But in over three years, despite its massive economic superiority to Russia and its access to more advanced military technology, Europe has not found the political will to give Kyiv the means to win.
Until they do, Vladimir Putin may decide it is still worth pursuing this war despite its massive cost in men and materiel on both sides.
“We reiterate our backing for President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace,” they said.
“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.”
Sir Keir and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in March. Pic: AP
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The leaders said they were “ready to support peace talks as soon as possible”.
But they warned that they would continue to “ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine” until Moscow agrees to a lasting ceasefire.
“We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come,” their statement added.
“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine.”
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The European leaders are set to visit the Maidan, a central square in Ukraine’s capital where flags represent those who died in the war.
They are also expected to host a virtual meeting for other leaders in the “coalition of the willing” to update them on progress towards a peacekeeping force.
Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for a coalition, which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.
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This force “would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace”, according to Number 10.
A special constable has been jailed after taking pictures on his phone from bodycam footage showing a dying man.
Former police volunteer William Heggs, 23, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at Leicester Crown Court on Friday after showing the photos of victim William Harty, 28, to a female colleague and storing them on his Snapchat account.
Mr Harty was found seriously injured in a residential street in Leicester on 25 October 2021 and Heggs had attended the scene, helping with CPR before paramedics arrived.
Mr Harty died in hospital a day later and the man responsible for his injuries, his brother-in-law Martin Casey, was subsequently convicted of his manslaughter.
Heggs showed the pictures he had taken of bodycam footage of Mr Harty’s body to a Leicestershire Police constable, who reported Heggs and said she did not like seeing blood.
His phone was seized and officers discovered other photographs and video clips of bodyworn footage of incidents Heggs had attended on duty, including of a knife seizure, use of baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid.
He also took pictures of a police computer screen, showing details of crimes and suspects, without consent.
Heggs stored the materials in a Snapchat folder and disclosed graphic details – most of which were not in the public domain – about the injuries to a woman who was killed in a road traffic collision he had attended, to a friend on the social media platform.
Heggs was suspended from the force in November 2021 and resigned in October 2024 before pleading guilty to 11 computer misuse and data protection offences this March.
William Harty’s widow Mandy Casey. Pic: PA
‘He has traumatised me’
Mr Harty’s widow, Mandy Casey, said in a victim impact statement read to the court that Heggs “took (her) husband’s dignity when he was most vulnerable”.
“You don’t take someone’s dignity and pride from them on their deathbed.”
She continued: “When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask why. He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others.”
Ms Casey said she was still scared that photos of her husband’s body might appear on social media.
She added that she had lost trust in the police.
Public trust in police ‘significantly undermined’
Judge Timothy Spencer told Heggs, who has autism and ADHD, that he was “probably too immature to be working as a police officer” as he handed down the sentence.
He said Heggs had received “extensive training”, including on the importance of data protection, and knew he should only share materials for “a genuine policing purpose”.
Heggs’s actions had “significantly undermined” public trust and confidence in police, according to the judge.
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Malcolm McHaffie, from the Crown Prosecution Service, added: “William Heggs abused the public’s trust in the office he held as a special police constable.
“He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers.”
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