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.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

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.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

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.

CCTV footage released during the trial showed De Zoysa in the holding cell with Sgt Ratana and two other officers involved in his arrest and detention.

Read more:
Jurors allowed to fire gun ‘used to kill police officer’
Haka tribute performed at murdered policeman’s funeral

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.

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.

Related posts:

Mums share devastating stories to urge people to call Crimestoppers with information about knife crime Man arrested after police officer injured in Manchester United protest If Johnson thinks families in Northern Ireland will accept ‘amnesty for murders’ – he is mistaken Government ‘set to fail’ workers after COVID crisis, claims Labour Euro 2020 final: Schools open late and businesses close early for some as PM flies the flag from No 10 ‘I’m determined to come back’: Newsreader announces cancer has spread NHS to tackle ‘unacceptable inequalities’ in maternity care Man who stalked Emma Raducanu and stole her dad’s shoe handed restraining order ‘This is win or die’: Ukrainian ambassador thanks UK as thousands join anti-war rally Fourth alleged ‘Beatles’ Islamic State terror cell member arrested in UK Three people die in hotel fire in Scotland Police officer groomed, abducted and sexually assaulted 13-year-old