Matt Ratana, an immensely popular and charismatic New Zealander, had been coaching his local rugby team before starting what should have been a routine night shift as custody sergeant at Croydon police station in September 2020.
What took place at 2.30am was far from routine.
Just as he had done a thousand times before, Ratana went into the cell of an arrested, handcuffed suspect and prepared to search him.
Louis De Zoysa had a hidden revolver, which he pulled out, and blasted two bullets into Ratana’s chest. Nothing could be done to save him. He became the first police officer to be killed inside a British police station.
On Friday a jury at Northampton crown court found De Zoysa guilty of Ratana’s murder.
Ratana, 54, was born in the Hawke’s Bay area of New Zealand’s North Island and after graduating in 1989 he moved to the UK in his 20s. He joined the Metropolitan police force in 1991. At the time of his death he was nearing retirement, having served 29 years.
He was a talented rugby player, playing for London Irish Amateurs and other clubs across the south of England. As his playing career tailed off, Ratana went into coaching.
Gareth Davies, a Telegraph journalist who was coached by him during his time at Hove Rugby Club, remembered him as a “giant man with a giant heart”.
His death deeply affected his many friends and colleagues. Because of the pandemic his memorial service was a small-scale affair but the tributes from colleagues were huge.
“Matt had a way that just made things better,” said Martin Christianson. “He had a presence about him that he would just deal with things. People were never scared of Matt. You were always in awe of him.
“If the world was full of Matt Ratanas, it would be a better place.”
Another colleague, Chrissie Smethem, remembered the first time she met Ratana.
“He sort of bounded up like a happy cocker spaniel puppy and introduced himself, and once you’ve met Matt you can’t forget him.
“He was sort of a louder version of a human.”
In September last year an artwork was unveiled at Croydon custody centre, designed by students and incorporating hundreds of epaulettes given by grieving colleagues. At its centre is a silver fern leaf, the Māori symbol for strength and enduring power and included to acknowledge his heritage.
At the unveiling, his partner of five years, Su Bushby, described Ratana as a “gentle giant”. He was, she said, her “partner, friend, confidant, support and soulmate” and someone who had a lifelong commitment to the police service.
His killer, De Zoysa, from Banstead, Surrey, was born in Croydon the eldest of five children and attended John Fisher secondary school in Purley between 2008 and 2015.
One former schoolmate told the BBC that De Zoysa was “reclusive” and used “to brag about being on the darkweb”. He also had a “weird obsession” with weapons.
During his trial the jury heard that he had an autistic spectrum condition and would regularly get stressed, leading him to punch walls and chairs. The court heard he was bullied at school because he was an “easy target”.
De Zoysa received three As at A-level for chemistry, physics and maths. He went on to University College London but did not finish his degree, later getting a job as a data analyst for the HRMC. He said his father used to beat him over “trivial matters” and in 2019 he was arrested for “fighting” his father.
De Zoysa, 23 at the time of the shooting, had been stopped by police walking through Norbury at about 1am because of reports of burglaries in the area.
He was arrested on suspicion of possession of ammunition and a class B drug and taken in a van to Croydon custody suite, where Ratana was on duty. The arresting officers did not know De Zoysa was carrying a loaded revolver in a holster. It was probably concealed under his armpit, the court heard.
Quite why De Zoysa took out a gun and fired it at Ratana may never be known. His defence lawyer said his client was experiencing an “autistic meltdown” at the time. The prosecution argued it was a deliberate act.
He pulled the trigger four times. Two shots went into Ratana, one into a wall and the fourth into De Zoysa himself, causing him brain damage.
During the trial De Zoysa was assisted by an intermediary and used a whiteboard because of communication difficulties.
Colleagues of Ratana have spoken of how passionate Ratana was in ensuring suspects were checked in properly and kept safe.
One colleague said: “The appalling irony about this is that as custody sergeant Matt was there to be the guardian of the suspect, to protect him and guarantee his rights.”
