 A cop killer who shot a custody sergeant while handcuffed inside a police holding cell with a hidden gun has been given a whole life sentence. Louis De Zoysa, 26, was convicted of murdering Met Police Sgt Matt Ratana, 54, at a station in Croydon, south London, in 2020. Jurors were shown distressing footage of the moment he pulled out a legally-bought revolver from behind his back and fired at Sgt Ratana, who was just two months from retirement. The New Zealand-born officer died of his injuries in hospital despite the efforts of medical staff. He was the first cop ever killed inside a police station in the UK. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video De Zoysa claimed diminished responsibility during a three-week trial, saying he had been suffering an autistic meltdown at the time of the shooting. But jurors dismissed his account and found the cannabis addict guilty of deliberately pulling the trigger. Jailing him for the rest of his life, Mr Justice Johnson told De Zoysa he had been treated 'with respect, dignity and understanding' by the officers that night. 'None of the officers gave any reason for you to feel at risk of harm or threat,' he said. 'Your actions were voluntary, they were controlled, they were deliberate. You acted in cold blood.' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Louis De Zoysa was convicted of the murder of Sergeant Matt Ratana (Picture: PA) Sergeant Matt Ratana was close to retirement when he was killed (Picture: PA) Jurors were shown distressing CCTV of the shooting (Picture: PA) The antique revolver was legal to own (Picture: PA) Northampton Crown Court was shown slow-motion video of Sgt Ratana being hit in the chest by the first of three shots discharged by De Zoysa within three seconds. A second bullet struck hi){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
A cop killer who shot a custody sergeant while handcuffed inside a police holding cell with a hidden gun has been given a whole life sentence.
Louis De Zoysa, 26, was convicted of murdering Met Police Sgt Matt Ratana, 54, at a station in Croydon, south London, in 2020.
Jurors were shown distressing footage of the moment he pulled out a legally-bought revolver from behind his back and fired at Sgt Ratana, who was just two months from retirement.
The New Zealand-born officer died of his injuries in hospital despite the efforts of medical staff. He was the first cop ever killed inside a police station in the UK.