Man charged with killing Sgt Matt Ratana appears in court from hospital

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A man has appeared in court via video link charged with the murder of a police officer from Sussex.

Sergeant Matt Ratana was shot dead while on duty at Croydon police station last September.

Louis de Zoysa, 23, is accused of shooting the custody officer during a search.

Mr De Zoysa has been in hospital under police guard since the incident.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court by video-link on Wednesday, sitting in a raised hospital bed wearing a grey T-shirt for a hearing which lasted seven minutes.

Asked to confirm his identity, De Zoysa showed a white board, on which his name and date of birth was written, to the camera before his lawyer Haroon Shah gave an address in Southbrook Road, Norbury, south-west London.

He will next appear at the Old Bailey on Friday.

Following Sgt Ratana’s death, his partner Su Bushby described him as a “gentle giant”.

In a tribute, she said: “Matt was my partner, friend, confidant, support and soul mate.

“He will be greatly missed but never forgotten. Matt will always be in my head and in my heart."