An inquest into the death of Sergeant Matt Ratana who was shot dead by ahandcuffed man inside a police station is set to begin.
The popular Metropolitan Police officer, 54, died in September 2020 afterbeing shot at close range by 25-year-old Louis De Zoysa in a cell at Croydoncustody centre.
De Zoysa had been arrested after cannabis and bullets were found during astreet search, but officers who detained him had not discovered the antiquerevolver he was also carrying.
The killer managed to twist his handcuffed arms from behind his body tofire the fatal shot at Sgt Ratana, just as he was about to conduct a further search at the police station.
An inquest at Croydon coroner’s court in South London is now set toinvestigate the officer’s death, including questions about how the firearmended up inside the cell without being detected.
In July, De Zoysa was sentenced to a whole life order after he was convicted of murdering Sgt Ratana in the early hours of September 25, 2020.
Northampton crown court heard De Zoysa, a former engineering student atUCL who went on to work for HMRC, was obsessed with guns and amassed a collection of weapons including a shortened infantry rifle, numerous types of ammunition, a pipe gun, and a dummy launcher.
In the police cell, he fired three shots – striking Sgt Ratana once in thechest – and shot himself in the neck, bringing on a stroke and causing braindamage.
The inquest is expected to investigate how De Zoysa bought the gun online and converted it into weapon capable for firing live rounds.
The police stop in London Road, Norbury, south London, that led to him being taken into custody is due to be examined in depth.
When passing sentence on De Zoysa, Mr Justice Johnson said Sgt Ratana’s family was “rightly immensely proud” of a dedicated police officer: “He devoted his life to public service, he put himself in the way of danger to protect the public and to protect and safeguard those who came into custody.”
The three-week inquest is taking place at Croydon Town Hall.
