Matt Ratana: Holster ‘identical’ to one worn by man accused of Met officer’s murder shown to jury

A gun holster “identical” to one Louis De Zoysa was wearing when he allegedly murdered Met Police custody sergeant Matt Ratana has been shown to jury members.

De Zoysa, 25, is accused of shooting dead Sgt Ratana, 54, at a custody block in Croydon on September 25 2020 while handcuffed.

The jury in the trial at Northampton Crown Court watched while a copy of a gun holster was shown in the courtroom during a brief hearing on Friday.

Jocelyn Ledward, for the prosecution, said the holster shown to the jury was “exactly identical” to the one owned by De Zoysa.

The prosecution alleges De Zoysa, who denies murder, “pulled the trigger on purpose four times” while he was handcuffed in a holding room at the custody centre, the first and second shots hitting Sgt Ratana, the third hitting the wall during a struggle with officers, and a fourth hitting De Zoysa himself.

They say the gun and holster were “probably concealed under one of his armpits”.

He had been arrested on London Road, Norbury during the early hours of September 25 2020, after a stop and search by officers found he had cannabis and seven rounds of ammunition.

Officers did not know De Zoysa had a gun until it was used to shoot Sgt Ratana.

Sgt Ratana had five injuries caused by two bullets – a fatal gunshot wound to the chest, with the bullet going through his heart, and four other injuries caused by a second bullet.

The second bullet passed through the muscles of his thigh and buttocks.

Both the prosecution and the defence agree De Zoysa, who was 23 at the time of the incident, pulled the trigger on the first and second shot and that the gun was fired four times.

They also agreed the third shot was fired when the gun was still in De Zoysa’s hand, and the fourth hit De Zoysa in the neck.

The trial continues on Monday.