'Every possible step' taken to give murderer a fair trial

“EVERY possible step” was taken to make sure Metropolitan Police Sergeant Matt Ratana’s murderer had a fair trial, a Court of Appeal judge has said.

- By JESS GLASS

Louis De Zoysa, 27, brought unsuccessful bids to challenge his conviction and sentence earlier this month, after he was handed a whole-life order in July 2023.

New Zealand-born Sgt Ratana died in hospital after being struck by two bullets in a holding cell in Croydon in September 2020.

Sgt Ratana was hit in the chest by the first of three shots discharged within three seconds, with a second striking the 54-year-old in the thigh before De Zoysa was wrestled to the ground by other officers.

A third round hit the cell wall at Croydon’s Windmill Road custody centre, before De Zoysa fired a fourth shot while on the cell floor 16 seconds later, which hit an artery in his own neck and caused brain damage.