Murder of Matt Ratana

Matiu Ratana (3 May 1966 – 25 September 2020) was a New Zealand-born British police sergeant who was shot dead inside a police custody facility in London on 25 September 2020. He was nearing retirement having served in the Metropolitan Police for nearly 30 years when he became the first police officer to be fatally shot in the UK since the murders of Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone in 2012.

Murder of Matt Ratana
Croydon Custody Centre, scene of the shooting
Date25 September 2020
LocationCroydon, London, United Kingdom
TypeShooting
ConvictedLouis de Zoysa
ChargesMurder
SentenceLife imprisonment (whole life order)

Background

Ratana was born in the Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand and was of Māori descent.[1] Born Matiu Ratana, he was known as Matt to his family and colleagues.[2][3] He moved to England in 1989, working for the Metropolitan Police for nearly 30 years.[4] Ratana had also served with New Zealand Police joining the British High Commission Wing in 2003 and serving in the Auckland City and Counties Manukau police districts before returning to the UK in 2008.[5]

Incident

On the morning of 25 September 2020, a 23-year-old man was arrested for drugs offences and possession of ammunition and taken to the Croydon Custody Centre in a police vehicle.[6] While Sgt Matt Ratana was approaching the suspect, Louis De Zoysa, to assist in a search, De Zoysa shot him, before being tackled to the ground.[7] Ratana was taken to hospital, where he died from gunshot wounds. No police firearms were discharged during the incident. A non-police revolver was recovered from the scene, which had been missed in the initial pat-down of the subject.[8] The suspect was in handcuffs during the incident, with his hands behind his back. CCTV captured the incident taking place.[9] The weapon was a Colt .41 1895 double action revolver, which De Zoysa had holstered under his armpit.[10]

Investigation

The background of the suspect is being investigated by authorities. The suspect had previously been referred to the Prevent programme, an anti-extremism programme developed by the government in an attempt to prevent individuals from joining extremist groups and carrying out terrorist activities.[4] Several crime scenes were established, a cordon was put in place around the Anderson Heights block of flats in Norbury, and a controlled explosion took place in one of the crime scenes in Banstead, Surrey.[11]

Louis De Zoysa,[12] aged 23, was arrested on 13 November 2020 on suspicion of murdering a police officer, when he was considered well enough though still requiring hospital treatment. On 29 June 2021, he was deemed well enough to be formally charged with murder.[13] On 28 April 2023, Louis De Zoysa pleaded not guilty to the murder whilst appearing via video link from hospital at Northampton Crown Court. De Zoysa was due to stand trial at Northampton on 6 June 2023.[14] De Zoysa's attorney argued that De Zoysa, who suffered from Asperger syndrome, was experiencing an 'autistic meltdown' at the time of the shooting and was, therefore, not guilty of murder.[15]

Following his trial at Northampton Crown Court, De Zoysa was convicted of murder on 23 June 2023.[16] He was sentenced on 27 July 2023 to life imprisonment with a whole life order.[17]

See also

References
  1. "Improving life's experiences through rugby". The Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  2. "Matt Ratana: Haka tribute performed at murdered policeman's funeral". Sky News. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  3. Cornish, Sophie (29 September 2020). "Partner of slain New Zealand sergeant Matt Ratana gives tribute to 'gentle giant'". Stuff. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  4. "Four crime scenes linked to fatal police shooting". BBC News. 26 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  5. "NZ Police acknowledges death of Sergeant Matiu Ratana". New Zealand Police.
  6. "Croydon police station shooting suspect named". BBC News. 27 September 2020.
  7. "Custody footage shows chaotic reaction moments after Sgt Matt Ratana shot dead". www.standard.co.uk/. 8 June 2023.
  8. Collins, David; Al-Othman, Hannah (27 September 2020). "Shooting of police sergeant Matt Ratana: how was a loaded gun missed in 'pat down' search?". The Times. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  9. Speare-Cole, Rebecca (26 September 2020). "Matiu Ratana: CCTV captured fatal shooting of police officer shot dead in Croydon custody centre as suspect remains in critical condition". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  10. "Police Professional | Sgt Matt Ratana's killer given whole-life sentence".
  11. "'Explosion' during fatal police shooting searches". BBC News. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  12. "Sgt Matiu Ratana shooting: Man in court charged with murdering police officer". BBC News. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  13. "SGT Matiu Ratana shooting: Man charged with murdering police officer". BBC News. 29 June 2021.
  14. Sandford, Daniel (28 April 2023). "Sgt Matiu Ratana: Man denies murdering Met Police officer". BBC News.
  15. Hughes, Seren (23 July 2023). "Louis De Zoysa guilty of murdering policeman Matt Ratana in Croydon cell". The Times. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  16. "Matiu Ratana: Man guilty of murdering Met Police sergeant". BBC News. BBC. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  17. "Sgt Matiu Ratana shooting: Killer Louis De Zoysa will never be freed". BBC News. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
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