Met officer Matt Ratana due to retire and get married months after murder at police station

Father-of-one Sergeant Matt Ratana was 54 and had been due to retire within months, after 30 years' service with the Met Police when he was shot dead.

He was born in Palmerston North in New Zealand and at school was a prefect, tennis champion and excelled in rugby.

Ratana is part Maori and his grandmother Iriaka was the first Maori woman to be elected to Parliament in 1949. Born Matiu Ratana, he was known as Matt to his family and friends.

He moved to the UK in 1989 and joined the Met two years later.

After joining the Met Police in 1991 he returned to New Zealand working with the British High Commission wing of the New Zealand police in 2003, before returning to the UK in 2008.

He was two months from retiring when he was killed after 29 years of service (PA)

He eventually became the custody sergeant at the Windmill Custody Centre in Croydon, booking suspects into custody when they were brought in by officers and authorising searches.

The officer was two months from retiring when he was killed after 29 years of service.

He had pursued his love of rugby in Britain, playing for London Irish amateurs.

Ratana lived in Goring-by-Sea in West Sussex and became head coach at the East Grinstead Rugby Club after managing the Colts.

The officer was killed in the line of duty (PA)

Mr Ratana's partner Su Bushby (PA)

A memorial featuring a life-sized silhouette of the officer was unveiled at the club in July 2021.

He was due to marry his partner Su Bushby, who he had been with for five years.

She spoke after the killing of her "gentle giant with an infectious smile and a big heart".

Su said: "There aren't really any words for how I'm feeling right now about the loss of Matt - about losing someone I loved and was so close to.

"Matt touched many, many people's lives with his friendliness, patience, kindness, enthusiasm and caring ways."

Flowers outside Croydon Custody Centre in south London (PA)

She added: "Matt was my partner, friend, confidant, support and soul mate.

"I had the pleasure of sharing five years with this lovely man - my gentle giant, with his infectious smile and big heart.

"I think of him with tenderness and love. Matt will always be in my head and in my heart."

Sgt Ratana was the first British officer ever to be killed inside a police station.