Image source, Met Police Image caption,

Sgt Matiu Ratana was the on-duty custody sergeant

By Daniel Sandford in court & Yasmin Rufo

BBC News

A man accused of murdering a Metropolitan Police officer by shooting him at a custody centre "pulled the trigger on purpose", his trial heard.

Louis De Zoysa, 25, denies killing Sgt Matiu Ratana, 54, with an antique revolver hidden in an underarm holster, at Croydon custody centre, south London, in September 2020.

"Louis De Zoysa pulled the trigger on purpose four times," prosecutors said.

Duncan Penny KC added Mr De Zoysa "injured himself with the fourth shot".

The prosecution alleges Sgt Ratana, who was also known as Matthew and was the on-duty custody sergeant, was killed while Mr De Zoysa was handcuffed in a holding cell.

It argues Mr De Zoysa bought the antique gun at an auction in June 2020, that it was legal to own, and he had made his own bullets because ammunition for the gun was no longer manufactured.

Officers who arrested and searched the defendant earlier in the day "did not find" that Mr De Zoysa was carrying a loaded revolver in a holster, jurors heard.

Mr Penny KC said: "The prosecution say Louis De Zoysa pointed his gun at Sgt Ratana", and that he "pulled the trigger on purpose twice when he was pointing the gun at Sgt Ratana".

"There is CCTV footage and other video of what happened," Mr Penny KC told jurors at Northampton Crown Court.

Image caption,

Louis De Zoysa arriving at court at the start of his trial on Tuesday in a wheelchair

"The video and the audio shows Louis De Zoysa killing Matthew Ratana," the prosecutor said.

On the opening day of the case on Tuesday, the court heard the fourth shot hit Mr De Zoysa in the neck, causing him to suffer brain damage.

As a result, he will be assisted by an intermediary during his trial and uses a whiteboard because of communication difficulties, the jurors were told.

"I am going to be talking in short sentences and simple words," Mr Penny KC told the court on Wednesday. "This is so that Louis De Zoysa can understand what I am saying."

The prosecution opened their case by recounting the events that led up to the shooting.

It told the jury that: "On Friday 25 September 2020, Louis de Zoysa was walking along London Road, in Norbury."

He was stopped by the police and searched by police officers on the street and handcuffed, the jury was told.

"The police officers found that Louis De Zoysa was carrying cannabis and seven rounds of ammunition but the police officers did not find that Louis De Zoysa was carrying a loaded revolver in a holster.

"The gun and holster were probably concealed under one of his armpits," the court was told.

Image source, Helen Tipper Image caption,

Mr De Zoysa bought the antique revolver in an online auction in June 2020, the court heard

Mr De Zoysa, who was 23 at the time, was then taken to Croydon Police Station and put in a holding room, still handcuffed.

Jurors were told: "Louis De Zoysa kept the gun hidden and was able to point the gun at Sgt Ratana," who was on duty.

"He deliberately shot Sgt Ratana, once to the chest, at very close range. He did not give a warning."

The court heard the other officers present were not able to stop Mr De Zoysa, and the shot caused a fatal injury to Sgt Ratana's left lung and heart. The prosecution says this was "deliberate".

Three further shots, including the one that injured Mr De Zoysa, were fired during a struggle with the other officers, the court was told.

The prosecution alleges: "The second shot was another deliberate shot at Sgt Ratana."

Mr De Zoysa, of Banstead, Surrey, pleaded not guilty to murder during a previous hearing at the same court in April.

The trial continues.

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Related Topics

Banstead

Croydon

Metropolitan Police Service

London

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